Sumatra Disaster Paralyzes Hundreds of Hospitals and Community Health Centers

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – Hundreds of healthcare facilities, including hospitals and community health centers, are unable to operate due to the flooding and landslides that have occurred in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra. Healthcare services are temporarily focused on evacuation sites or emergency health posts.

The Head of the Bureau of Communication and Public Information of the Ministry of Health, Aji Muhawarman, contacted in Jakarta on Tuesday (2/12/2025), stated that several hospitals are still unable to operate due to the impact of the disaster that occurred in Sumatra. Medical personnel and health workers who were previously assigned to the affected healthcare facilities have ultimately been reassigned to evacuation sites.

"Health services are currently being provided at evacuation sites or health posts. Named (medical personnel) and nakes (health workers) from affected health facilities are being deployed to the evacuation locations," he said.

Aji added that several affected hospitals have also begun to operate, particularly those with two floors. The mobilization of reserve healthcare personnel in each region has also been carried out.

These temporary health services are provided at refugee camps or health posts.

According to data from the Ministry of Health as of December 1, 2025, at least 7 hospitals and 179 community health centers are not operational in Aceh Province. Meanwhile, 3 hospitals and 32 community health centers have sustained damage in North Sumatra Province. However, the damaged health facilities are still able to operate. In West Sumatra Province, the reported affected health facilities include 22 community health centers and several auxiliary community health centers.

Aji stated that several regions have expressed the need for additional healthcare human resources. The types of healthcare professionals required include specialist surgeons, internists, general practitioners, nurses, midwives, nutritionists, and sanitation workers. For the time being, the demand for medical personnel and healthcare workers is being met by mobilizing reserve healthcare staff from unaffected health facilities, private hospitals, and assistance from professional organizations.

In addition, logistical needs have also been documented, including the need for medicines, clean water, water tanks, masks, as well as other logistics such as Starlink and generators, compressors, field tents, blankets, mosquito nets, and mats. From the Ministry of Health, the health logistics assistance that has been sent includes, among others, supplementary feeding for toddlers, supplementary feeding for pregnant women, body bags, surgical masks, rapid water purifiers, disinfectants, and water quality testing kits.

According to Aji, the current challenges faced include disrupted communication networks in several areas, insufficient availability of clean water, power outages, blocked access roads, and difficulties in obtaining fuel for generators at community health centers and logistics distribution.

In relation to these challenges, the Ministry of Health has coordinated with the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) to request assistance from Starlink (satellite internet service provider) at community health centers. Cooperation has also been established with the Regional Water Supply Company (PDAM) for the provision of clean water. For the time being, generators are being used with support from BPBD and PLN.

"Several districts or cities are isolated due to broken road access. The solution is to use sea or air routes to access the isolated locations. We also provide boats or rafts for crossings," he stated.

In a separate communication, the Chairman of the Humanitarian and Disaster Response Division of the Indonesian Medical Association (PB IDI), Muhammad Iqbal El Mubarak, stated that the availability of specialist doctors has now become an urgent need in disaster locations. Many medical personnel and health workers are experiencing fatigue, and some have also become victims of the disaster.

In this acute phase following the disaster, the demand for surgeons, anesthesiologists, and trauma doctors has become the most requested need. Therefore, additional specialists have begun to be mobilized by professional organizations to the areas in need.

The preparation of medical personnel needs to be considered for the transition and reconstruction phase of a disaster. Typically, a number of new diseases will emerge two weeks after the occurrence of a disaster.

Several professional organizations, such as those for pulmonary medicine, surgery, pediatrics, anesthesiology, and internal medicine, have also been asked to prepare their medical personnel. "So, the instruction is that all specialist associations must prepare their cadres from now on. Therefore, when the need arises, we can immediately deploy them," said Iqbal.

In addition, he added that the need for medicines and logistics is still limited. This need is particularly related to the requirement for oxygen. He hopes that good coordination can be established among stakeholders so that healthcare services can be optimally delivered in the disaster-affected areas.

Iqbal urged the government to provide dedicated aircraft for medical logistics. This also needs to be supported by a good internet network. Impaired communication makes coordination regarding health logistics needs difficult to fulfill.

"I also suggest that gas stations in several provinces should provide free fuel for ambulances and volunteer vehicles. Sometimes ambulances have to wait in line even while transporting emergency patients," he said.