Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto has announced Indonesia's readiness to assist those affected by the recent earthquake in Vanuatu, according to Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno.
Expressing solidarity with the people of Vanuatu, the President emphasized that Indonesia will not only provide humanitarian aid but also send a team of doctors and paramedics to help treat the victims of the earthquake.
The Ministry of Health has deployed 15 paramedic personnel to Vanuatu, including five specialist doctors — comprising a surgeon, orthopedist, internist, anesthesiologist, and emergency medicine physician — three general practitioners, five nurses, one pharmacist, and one logistics expert.
"The President requested that the medical team carry out their duties as effectively as possible, communicate well, and work closely with local authorities for the benefit of the Vanuatu community. They are our friends," Pratikno said on Friday.
The doctors and paramedic personnel were dispatched along with humanitarian aid from Jakarta on the same day.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) sent a range of humanitarian aid to Vanuatu, including medicines, medical equipment, antibacterials, food, and evacuation logistics, weighing a total of 50.5 tons and valued at US$726 thousand.
The aid was transported by two aircraft—a Garuda Indonesia plane (PK-GFM) and a BBN Airline plane (PK-BBN)—from Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base on Friday.
The aircraft departed from Jakarta, making a transit stop in Jayapura before continuing to Port Vila city in Vanuatu. They are scheduled to return to Jakarta on Saturday.
The earthquake, which struck Vanuatu on December 17, 2024, affected 80,000 people, including 14,104 children and 769 people with disabilities.
The disaster resulted in 18 fatalities, 200 injuries, and forced 947 people to seek shelter in churches and residents' homes in Manples, Britano, Kaweriki, and Kona. The country declared a state of emergency from December 17–24.(*)
