Coordinating minister for people`s welfare Agung Laksono said here on Saturday Indonesia had already prepared 65 medical personnel to be sent to Japan but their departure was hindered by a Japanese regulation that only Japanese doctors are allowed to treat their citizens.
Agung said however that Indonesia had been able to send 15 of them who received exceptions when the disaster occurred.
Fifty others are still waiting for permits, he said adding "only after there is a green light will we send them."
Agung said besides health teams Indonesia has already sent a 15-member humanitarian team consisting of personnel from the National Search and Rescue Team (11) and army (2), medical personnel (1) and an official from the National Disaster Management Agency.
The Indonesian government has also sent 10,000 blankets to help earthquake and tsunami victims in that country.
For the people who wish to send aid to Japan the minister said he hoped they would send blankets as they are what the people there need most.
"They also must meet certain quality and measurement standards as the temperature there is below zero. So make an inquiry first so that what they send will not become futile," he said.
He said the teams that would be sent to Japan must be the ones that are well-trained. "They must be self-sufficient," he said.
(Uu.H-YH/HAJM)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
