A volunteer team from Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) has joined forces with volunteers from Universitas Teuku Umar (UTU) and Politeknik Negeri Lhokseumawe (PNL) to support disaster response efforts in Lhoksukon, North Aceh Regency, and Bener Meriah Regency. The UGM volunteers, who are part of the Health Reserve Team–Emergency Medical Team, Academic Health System (TCK-EMT AHS), are led by Dr. Muhammad Nurhadi Rahman, a lecturer at the UGM Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing (FK-KMK UGM).
Dr. Rahman explained that one of the main challenges in the current disaster response is disrupted access. Nevertheless, healthcare facilities continue to operate under limited conditions.
“Water supply is cut off from 10 a.m. until around 7 p.m. This situation significantly affects health services,” he said on Friday (Jan. 2).
As part of efforts to strengthen health services at disaster-affected community health centres in Bener Meriah Regency, the team implemented a Solar-Powered Water Purification System as part of emergency disaster community service.
This cross-disciplinary program involves a lecturer from the UGM Vocational College (SV UGM)’s Civil Engineering Program, Dr. Adhy Kurniawan.
At present, the UGM team has successfully installed a simple water purification system at one initial site, Bener Meriah Regional General Hospital (RSUD Bener Meriah), as a first step to reinforce healthcare services in the affected area.
Based on the initial assessment, priority locations in Bener Meriah include the Pantan Kemuning Evacuation Post, Mesidah Community Health Centre, and the village maternity post (Polindes) in Simpur.
“The solar-powered water purification units will subsequently be installed at other priority locations,” said Dr. Adhy Kurniawan.
According to him, clean water and electricity are necessities, and the solar panel system helps minimise dependence on grid electricity and fuel.
“The installed water purification system has a capacity of 500 to 1,000 GPD, equivalent to 1,900 to 3,800 litres per day. This is sufficient to meet drinking water and clean water needs for hundreds of residents, especially in evacuation shelters,” he explained.
At Bandar Community Health Centre and Muyang Kute Regional General Hospital, Dr. Rahman said the team conducted comprehensive checks of operating theatres and delivery rooms, including the availability of clean water.
Coordination was also carried out with the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) to obtain an overview of clean water infrastructure.
“We received information that four out of eight PDAM water sources in Bener Meriah are damaged, while repair facilities have not yet reached the site. Currently, the community relies alternately on the remaining four PDAM sources,” explained Dr. Rahman.
In addition to supporting healthcare services, the team also reached the Pantan Kemuning Evacuation Post in Timang Gajah District, which shelters around 30 households in the village head’s residence.
Conditions at the shelter are pretty limited, with only one communal kitchen and one bathroom. At this location, the team provided personal hygiene education and monitored communicable and non-communicable diseases.
Dr. Rahman reported that monitoring results showed cases of communicable diseases, including acute respiratory infections, acute gastroenteritis (AGE), scabies, and other skin diseases.
Non-communicable diseases frequently encountered included hypertension, hyperglycaemia, dyspepsia, myalgia and arthritis, dental caries, and stomatitis.
“The team also recorded one patient with suspected mental health issues, namely suspected bipolar disorder,” he added.
Meanwhile, at the Pantan Kemuning Evacuation Post, volunteers from UGM, UTU, and PNL, led by Herri Darsan, Head of UTU’s Institute for Research and Community Service (LPPM), proceeded to Simpur to conduct medical check-ups, antenatal care (ANC), and ultrasound examinations for pregnant women.
“Simpur remains an isolated area, and clean water at the local health centre is still inadequate. Therefore, in addition to the evacuation post, Simpur and Mesidah Community Health Centre will be priority locations for the installation of water purification systems,” he explained.
At Muyang Kute Regional General Hospital, the UGM team has also handed over two drilled well systems, water tanks with capacities of 5,000 litres and 3,000 litres, and a simple water purification system, all of which are functioning well.
Dr. Rahman noted that this community service initiative was made possible through grant funding support from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia.
Author: Hanifah
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya
Photographs: Dr. Muhammad Nurhadi Rahman