December 24, 2025 | 08:57 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The emergency response health team from Riau University opened health services at the Simpang Kiri Puskesmas, Tenggulung District, Aceh Tamiang Regency, Indonesia, for the first time after the flood hit Aceh Province at the end of November 2025. Simpang Kiri Village is one of the isolated and paralyzed areas due to the ecological disaster.
On Tuesday, December 23, 2025, a health team from Riau University carried out a series of activities, including cleaning puskesmas, outpatient services, emergency unit services, wound care and minor surgery, as well as play therapy for children.
The Riau University team collaborated with the Ministry of Education, Research, and Technology through a community service scheme in a disaster situation, focusing on the Aceh Tamiang region. The team leader, Darmawi, emphasized that these activities could strengthen the role and impact of universities on the community, especially because all health facilities were affected and unable to provide services due to the disaster, as stated in a written statement by Darmawi.
The team consisted of 20 members, including two specialist doctors, two general practitioners, one specialist nurse, two general nurses, one pharmacist, one member from the specialist doctor education program (PPDS), one junior doctor, three medical students, three nursing students, and four other logistics support personnel. The team brought supplies of drugs, consumables, medical equipment, and other logistics.
The team was officially dispatched by the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs of Riau University, Mexsasai Indra, on Saturday, December 20, 2025. They departed by land from Pekanbaru to Aceh Tamiang. Upon arrival in Aceh Tamiang, the team coordinated with the Aceh Tamiang Health Office and briefly operated at the Tamiang District General Hospital (RSUD).
In Simpang Kiri Village, the team reactivated the puskesmas services, which were previously unable to operate due to the drugs at Simpang Kiri Puskesmas being damaged by the flood.
On the first day of post-flood services, the Simpang Kiri Puskesmas served at least 43 patients. Based on examinations, the health team found that residents of Simpang Kiri Village mostly suffered from acute respiratory tract infections or ARI.
Based on diagnoses, among others, there were 17 cases of ARI, four cases of dyspepsia, three cases of hypertension, two cases of diabetes mellitus, one case of stroke, one case of schizophrenia, three cases of common cold, and two cases of tension type headache.
In addition to health services, the team also provided play therapy and psychological services to 30 children affected by the flood in Simpang Kiri Village.
Furthermore, after opening outpatient and emergency unit services, the Riau University Emergency Response Health Team will open inpatient services. The team hopes that the community health issues in Simpang Kiri Village, Aceh Tamiang, can be fully resolved. They also ensure to provide comprehensive services.
Read: After Sumatra Floods, 100 Companies Face Environmental Audits
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