Abstract
Within hours of a 6.2 magnitude earthquake that hit the Indonesian provinces of and Central Java on May 27, a massive relief effort, comprising both Indonesian and overseas organizations, got under way. A fortnight after the quake, approximately 75 international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and more than 10 government teams and UN agencies had sent personnel and supplies to the stricken region to support the Indonesian Government's own relief efforts. role was as the lead agency of the Health Cluster, set up in June 2005 as one of the key components of wider humanitarian reforms within the UN. At the country level the Health Cluster's role is to coordinate the health response. Cluster system proved successful in the South Asia earthquake in 2005. In Indonesia, this approach helped to involve most of the NGOs engaged in relief efforts in efforts to assist the two provincial health authorities, as they grappled with the aftermath of the quake: over 5700 dead, nearly 38 000 injured, 470 000 dwellings damaged or destroyed and 1.5 million people affected. WHO's main role is supporting the Indonesian Government in its work responding to the emergency situation, particularly on human health-related concerns, and WHO has been in close relationship in supporting the work of the Ministry of Health (MoH), says Dr Arturo Pesigan, Head of the Health Cluster in Yogyakarta. Unlike the December 2004 tsunami which devastated the province of Aceh, the area affected by the 27 May earthquake was far more localized. It has been easier to obtain accurate numbers related to its effect on the population and therefore an easier task for government agencies and NGOs to get aid to where it is needed. rapid government response is also, arguably, related to the region's importance, whereas Aceh is on the periphery, the island of Java represents the heart of Indonesia and is the spiritual and cultural centre of the island. Yogyakarta and Central Java provinces have not been overwhelmed. At the national level the earthquake was not even declared a national disaster. Indonesia didn't call for international assistance, but welcomes it, says Charlie Higgins, the UN's Area Coordinator in Yogyakarta. The government rapidly moved in 6000 health workers from within Indonesia to reinforce local structures, he adds. experience of responding to the aftermath of the tsunami--although on a much larger scale to the disaster caused by the May earthquake--stood WHO in good stead to respond to the current emergency, says Pesigan, who is also the Regional Advisor for Emergency and Humanitarian Action from Office for the Western Pacific Region. Like we did in the tsunami, WHO supported the immediate establishment of the crisis centre for the provincial level health response. It was crucial to establish good coordination mechanisms with the government and all the players in the health sector. WHO mobilized its team within a few hours. Vehicles and essential supplies were immediately dispatched. Preparedness strengthened from the tsunami experience facilitated the establishment of a logistics system that readily provided personnel, transport, equipment, medicines and supplies and support was immediately provided from the country office, the regional office and headquarters, Pesigan explains. WHO-coordinated health response is split into several main areas: hospital and medical services; communicable disease surveillance and response; immunization; logistics and health supplies; medical emergency supplies management; mental health, water/sanitation and reproductive health; and maternal and child health. …
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