The formation of this team was a follow-up to the mandate of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemendiktisaintek), which appointed UI to participate in the "Disaster Response University" program.
UI Rector, Prof. Heri Hermansyah, said that UI's presence at the disaster site brings a science-based approach.
"UI is here as part of the community. To that end, we are sending technology, innovation, and academic expertise to ensure that public services, such as hospitals, can quickly resume operations," he conveyed at the team send-off on Friday.
Besides sending logistical assistance, the university also deploys a multidisciplinary team of experts consisting of professors, lecturers, health workers, and students to assist in the restoration of vital infrastructure and public health.
The lecturers include Prof. Anna from the Faculty of Medicine (FK), Prof. Mustikasari from the Faculty of Nursing (FIK), Prof. Agustino from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA), Prof. Fatma Lestari from the Faculty of Public Health (FKM), and Dr. Sucipta Laksono from the Faculty of Engineering (FT).
The FK and FT teams will focus on the recovery of the Regional General Hospital (RSUD) in Aceh Tamiang to restore proper health services for the community.
The FMIPA and FKM teams will assist with the handling and recovery in the Lambung Bukit area of West Sumatra, particularly in environmental health and post-disaster risk mitigation.
Meanwhile, the FIK team will be stationed in Tanjungpura and Pantai Cermin in North Sumatra to provide health and psychosocial support to affected residents.
Hermansyah noted that all these efforts are part of UI's initiatives to restore the community's condition after the disaster.
Earlier, the Faculty of Medicine (FK) and the Alumni Association (ILUNI) team also facilitated the Regional General Hospital (RSUD) in Langsa, Aceh, to resume operation.
The FK team and healthcare workers have been deployed in the location since late November, shortly after the disaster, to provide medical and technical support.
Hermansyah said his party is committed to continuously overseeing the recovery process for disaster-affected communities, not only during the emergency response phase but also in the long-term rehabilitation and reconstruction phases.
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Translator: Feru Lantara, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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