A member of a team of doctors from the Muhammadiyah Disaster Management Center (MDMC), Dr. Corona, informed that the Indonesian Field Hospital (RSLI) started operating on Thursday (February 16) with 23 patients accessing medical services as of 9 p.m. local time.
“Currently, medical services are still limited to outpatient care. However, other facilities have been installed and are awaiting approval from the Hassa city health office. The field operating room has been installed with a capacity for one operation with general anesthesia, " Corona said in a written statement received here on Friday.
The room is equipped for performing one surgery with local anesthesia or regional anesthesia simultaneously, the doctor added.
The Hassa city government has been looking forward to the operation of the RSLI following the M7.7 earthquake on February 6, 2023. On Wednesday ( February 15), Hassa Mayor Osman Acar said that patients will be directed to RSLI for treatment.
"Mothers who are going to give birth and residents who are traumatized by the earthquake will be transferred here (RSLI)," the mayor informed.
RSLI, which is being operated by the EMT, has several facilities, such as waiting rooms, operating room, pharmacy, and tents for medical staff and volunteers to rest. A total of 27 tents have been set up on about two hectares of land in the Hassa area, Dr. Corona said.
The tents are a part of the contribution from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), Health Ministry, Indonesian Red Cross (PMI), Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI), National Police (Polri), and MDMC, the doctor added.
Hassa is one of the cities that were severely damaged in the earthquake. The city has a population of around 40 thousand people.
After the earthquake, the two hospitals in the area were overwhelmed with local residents seeking treatment. One hospital in Hatay was unable to perform surgery on a patient.
Therefore, Hatay Governor Ziya Polad said that the Indonesian medical assistance is expected to help support health services at the two regional hospitals.
This type 2 of Indonesian EMT has been coordinated by the Indonesian Health Ministry.
The EMT has 119 personnel from the Ministry of Health, TNI, Polri, the Association of Indonesian Epidemiologists (PAEI), PMI, MDMC, philanthropic foundation Dompet Dhuafa, and medical professional association.
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Translator: Devi Nindy Sari R, Resinta S
Editor: Tia Mutiasari
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