Report From Medan - Aceh (January 7th 2005)

BY TAN JO HANN

Day 3 (January 2005)
Aceh 4:00pm (GMT +7)

(Note: Telecommunications services is still pretty unreliable other than that of Short-Messaging-Services (SMS). The following information is obtained through short interrupted telephone conversations and SMS with our friends in the field areas).

This morning the SEAPCP-KOMAS medic team, facilitated by the local emergency relief coalition - KSKBA, went to their first “house-refugee” community. This was the first of many communities among those outlining the outskirts of the Banda Aceh town, and along the upper eartern tip of north Sumatra.

The minute they stepped out of their van, people started to gather around to seek medical attention.

The team set up their treatment station in the open space within the small clusters of house. They also went around the small community and saw patients in whatever places that was available to be used as a temporary treatment station.

They attended to about 70-80 patients - women, men and children. Most of them complained about skin itchiness, and some had untreated cuts and wounds. Others appeared to have more serious cases of swelling in the leg, or had dark patches of wounds between their toes perhaps due to over-exposure to contaminated water and unclean environment.

Not all of them needed immediate medical attention, but insisted on being treated anyway. Our team gave out some Panadols to appease them but reserved the more important medicines for the really needy cases.

Since 1600 hours (Sumatra Indonesian time), the team were heading towards another nearby community where there are more serious and unattended cased needing medical attention.

Our medical team were in high spirits and still strong in their solidarity mission in providing assistance to the survivors of the Aceh crisis. The night before, our team had a dinner prepared by friends from KSKBA at their emergency Posko (post). They spent the night resting in rooms, in the van, or in whatever places they could find.

More reports will follow.
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Read Day 1 and 2 here.