"The first phase of the construction of the Indonesian Hospital is completed, including land dredging that will protect its building from floods, and the fence has also been erected," Retno Marsudi noted in a statement released by the Foreign Affairs Ministry here on Monday.
Minister Marsudi arrived in Myanmars Capital Naypyitaw on Monday at 9 a.m. local time and held a series of meeting with government officials.
Currently, the construction has entered the second phase involving building a room for doctors and nurses and is scheduled to be completed in two months after which the third phase for the main building will be carried out.
The 1,000 square-meter construction project is fully handled by Burmese contractors and workers, who are Rakhines Buddhists and Muslims, on eight thousand square meters of land.
Joint work being carried out by Buddhists and Muslims is expected to facilitate the reconciliation process through economic activities and tone down inter-communal tensions in Rakhine State.
The government of Indonesia has expressed hope that the Indonesian Hospital would be able to provide health services to the people in Rakhine State.
Minister Marsudi departed for Myanmar on Sunday (Sept 3) following President Joko Widodos instruction and an initial communication with Myanmars authorities with regard to the escalating humanitarian crisis impacting Rohingyas in Rakhine State during the past week.
Earlier on Aug 31, the minister had launched the Humanitarian Assistance for Sustainable Community program for Myanmar as a form of commitment of the Indonesian Humanity Alliance to Myanmar, a group of 11 non-governmental organizations aimed at inclusively providing long- and mid-term aid to the community affected in Rakhine State.
Marsudi said the US$2 million program covers four sectors: education, health, economy, and capacity building.
After holding a series of meetings with Myanmars government, Minister Marsudi will depart for Dhaka, Bangladesh, to discuss the refugee issue with her counterpart, Mahmood Ali. (*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2017
