[:en]Lombok Grieves, FK UII Sends Medical & Logistics Aid [:]

[:en]chili 1

LOMBOK (Ath-Thib) – A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7 Mw  which hit Lombok Island on August 5 2018, at 19:46 WITA had a very devastating impact. Data from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) shows that the death toll reached 560 people, while 1.469 people were injured, and 396.032 other people had to be evacuated. In terms of physical damage, the Lombok earthquake damaged 83.392 housing units and 3.540 public-social facilities. It is estimated that the funds needed for all recovery efforts due to this earthquake reach a total of 6 trillion rupiah.

The Lombok earthquake which left deep sorrow for local residents and the Indonesian nation called on volunteers from all over the archipelago to help ease the burden on the victims, including the Faculty of Medicine Universitas Islam Indonesia (FK UII). With the potential resources and network they have, FK UII volunteers who come from lecturers, alumni, and students join the UII Medical Volunteer Team (TRM) to be deployed to various disaster locations in Lombok. Apart from the medical team, FK UII also sent logistical assistance to the people of Lombok, bearing in mind the limited equipment experienced by the victims was also quite large.

TRM UII consists of personnel with various professional backgrounds, not only general practitioners, specialist doctors, and medical students, there are also nurses, pharmacist professional education students, psychology master's students, and drivers. This shows that TRM UII is not only targeting the physical health of the victims to be assisted, but also the psychological aspects of the earthquake victims are also a priority for recovery. In addition, drivers are also needed to mobilize to various regions to support team performance. With good mobilization, the team can move to many areas that need or have not even been touched by assistance from the government or volunteers. The delivery of TRM UII was carried out up to 4 stages of departure in the period from 7 to 24 August 2018.

according to dr. M. Kharisma, Coordinator of TRM UII Phase I, the main task of TRM UII is to act as UII's official "eye" and help with acute conditions in the field. As the official "eyes" of UII, the team not only provided assistance but also monitored field conditions to map the various needs that were still needed by the victims of the Lombok earthquake. The shortage of these needs can be forwarded to the next stage of the team which will be dispatched to Lombok.

"Our team departed for Lombok on Tuesday, August 7 2018. Arrived at the airport at 21.15 WITA. The next day we coordinated with the Joint Medical Post in the Tanjung Regional General Hospital (RSUD) field, North Lombok Regency (KLU). In general, our movement is divided into two teams, namely: team mobile devices who help with logistics, surveys, and mobile medicine, and team 2 fixed which formed a health post in Lengkukun Hamlet, Kayangan Village, North Lombok. Apart from continuing to coordinate with UII and the KLU Hospital Joint Medical Post, we are also assisted by a team from FMIPA and UII PANDU Students," explained doctor Kharisma.

According to doctor Kharisma, in Lengkukun Hamlet alone there were 200 families who were affected with the death toll reaching 6 people and there were no health posts yet. Logistical needs that are quite large are food, blankets, drinking water, and medicine. "Besides that, in Lengkungkun hamlet, cellphone signal is also minimal, so communication is also experiencing obstacles. Education with victims is also quite difficult because of the language barrier. Usually we involve local residents who have good Indonesian language skills to help with education," he said.

While on duty in Lombok, doctor Kharisma revealed that the volunteers there also felt various aftershocks which still occur a lot. Once when the team was on their way, suddenly there was an earthquake and when they were in front of a health center, many injured residents gathered there but there were not enough officers. Finally the team stopped the trip and immediately helped deal with the injured victims.

"One of the memorable things from this task is practicing tawakal because apart from the frequent earthquakes, our health post area is on the coast. If at any time an earthquake occurs which causes a tsunami, yes we can only surrender," he said.

 

Based on observations and analysis in various meetings between the joint medical team at Tanjung KLU Hospital, the presence of volunteers, especially in the medical field, is very much needed. For example, general practitioners are asked to look after the post or assist as supporting doctors at the puskesmas until the puskesmas can function normally again, or specialist doctors are asked to help support the hospital on an ongoing basis until fixed back to normal. So that in this case volunteers like TRM UII are expected to be able to carry on their duties by the next stage team. In addition, sanitation and nutrition are still a general problem that has an impact on health so that the authorities are expected to immediately build electricity, housing, water and sanitation installations.

Another thing that is quite special about TRM UII is the presence of specialist doctors who are also medical volunteers. There were three specialist doctors from FK UII, namely: dr. Muhammad Yusuf Hizam, Sp.An (Alumni, Anesthesia Department Lecturer) who is also the coordinator of TRM UII Phase 2, dr. Yasmini Fitriati, Sp.OG (Lecturer in Obstetrics and Gynecology Department), and dr. Berliani Hijriawati, Sp.BA (Alumni). These specialist doctors departed from Yogyakarta Adisucipto International Airport on August 12 2018.

“Initially, our team consisted of two general practitioners, one anesthetist, one pediatric surgeon, one obstetrician, one surgical nurse, and two drivers. Then joined by five psychologists from FPSB UII. Our command post was centered in KLU to help the Tanjung Field Hospital as a field hospital because the Tanjung Hospital building was damaged by the earthquake. Our specialist doctors are assisting specialist services at Tanjung Field Hospital, Awet Muda Hospital in West Lombok, and Ksatria Airlangga Floating Hospital at Bangsal Pemenang Harbor,” explained doctor Syifa Mahmud Syukron, one of the Phase II TRM UII personnel.

"The condition of the victims of the Lombok earthquake is truly apprehensive, most of the victims' houses in KLU, especially in Kayangan, Gangga and Tanjung sub-districts, suffered very severe damage, even to the ground, forcing the victims to live in tents at evacuation posts or tents. erected around their collapsed house. Most of the patients we treat are patients with respiratory tract diseases, digestive disorders such as diarrhea, and some skin diseases. Sometimes there are also some patients with musculoskeletal trauma due to the earthquake that have not been treated," added doctor Syifa.

 

Alhamdulillah, while on duty in Lombok the TRM UII personnel were always given health and strength by Allah SWT to help the earthquake victims as much as they could. What has been done by TRM UII really shows that vision rahmatan lil 'alamin carried out by universities and faculties is something that can be implemented in a real way and becomes an inspiration for all of us. Apart from that, we also pray for our brothers and sisters in Lombok to give them fortitude, enthusiasm, and optimism so that Lombok can soon get up and recover as before, amen. (etc)[:]