Government data released on Sunday showed that floods and landslides caused by last week’s cyclone have caused widespread destruction in three provinces on the island of Sumatra, including Aceh. These disasters have killed at least 940 people, with 276 people listed as missing.
With many residents losing their homes due to the accumulation of mud and debris, the risk of disease spread has increased significantly.
The Indonesian Ministry of Health announced last week that prevalent diseases include diarrhea, fever, and muscle pain, which are attributed to “poor environment and post-disaster accommodation.”
At the only hospital in Aceh Tamiang, a patient and a number of health workers spoke to Reuters on Sunday, confirming the worsening health situation and deteriorating conditions.
Reuters witnesses said medical equipment was covered in mud, injections were scattered on the floor, and large quantities of medicine were washed away by the floods.
A 42-year-old nurse stated that work at the hospital has been almost paralyzed due to the severe shortage of medicines and medical supplies.
Workers tried to save the ventilators in the neonatal intensive care unit, but their attempts failed due to the high water level that flooded the devices.
The nurse noted the death of one infant, while six others survived, expressing hope that the hospital would be restarted as soon as possible, stressing that “this is an extraordinary disaster. Everything has been destroyed.”
The Ministry of Health announced on December 5 that about 31 hospitals and 156 health centers in the three provinces were severely damaged as a result of the floods.
President “Prabowo Subianto” visited Aceh on Sunday and ordered authorities to repair damaged bridges and dams, as well as cancel small state-subsidized loans to farmers.
Government officials in Sumatra have called on the national government in Jakarta to declare a national emergency to provide additional funds for rescue and relief efforts.
