Eight of the 15 ambulances are being shipped to Papua Province and will have arrived there by September 10Jakarta (ANTARA) - Japan donated 15 ambulances to Papua and West Papua of which eight will be used for supporting this year's PON National Games and National Para Games (Peparnas), an Indonesian Health Ministry's official stated.
"Eight of the 15 ambulances are being shipped to Papua Province and will have arrived there by September 10," Director General of Healthcare Services at the Health Ministry Abdul Kadir remarked.
The ambulances will later be stationed in Jayapura City and the districts of Jayapura, Mimika, and Merauke that co-host the PON National Games, he noted during a video conference that ANTARA joined from Jakarta on Thursday.
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Seven other ambulances, built from 4WD vehicles, will be shipped in October, and will optimally be used to bolster healthcare services for residents in the two provinces' outermost regions, he remarked.
The targeted regions are the districts of Supiori, Sarmi, and Biak Numfor in Papua Province, as well as the districts of Manokwari, Teluk Bintuni, Teluk Wondama, and Raja Ampat in West Papua Province, Kadir noted.
Meanwhile, Ambassador of Japan to Indonesia Kanasugi Kenji stated that the ambulances are useful for locals in need in the two Indonesian provinces.
Kenji spoke of being aware of the fact that several ambulances would be used for supporting the convening of this year's PON National Games and Peparnas in Papua.
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Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, he is confident that Papua's PON National Games will run successfully, as Japan had recently finished hosting the Tokyo Olympic Games, he remarked.
Following the Olympic games, the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games were held from August 24 to September 5, he noted.
Papua has come under the spotlight of Indonesia's media outlets, as it is scheduled to host this year's PON National Games and National Para Games (Peparnas).
The PON National Games will be held in Jayapura City and the districts of Jayapura, Mimika, and Merauke on Oct 2-15, while Peparnas will be held on Nov 2-15.
At least 6,400 athletes and 3,500 officials from 34 provinces across Indonesia are expected to participate in Papua's PON National Games that will feature 37 events.
Meanwhile, 1,935 athletes and 740 officials will take part in the National Para Games in Jayapura City and Jayapura District that will feature 12 events.
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Translator: M.Ramdan, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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