Hospitals struggle to cope with influx of patients after Indonesia quake

Record ID: 76382

  • Title: Hospitals struggle to cope with influx of patients after Indonesia quake
  • Date: 8th December 2016
  • Summary: PIDIE JAYA, ACEH PROVINCE, INDONESIA (DECEMBER 8, 2016) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF RSUD PIDIE JAYA HOSPITAL WALL READING (Bahasa Indonesia): "RSUD PIDIE JAYA" VARIOUS OF BEDS LINED UP ALONG COVERED WALKWAY IN HOSPITAL COMPOUND PATIENT SITTING ON BED IN WALKWAY PATIENT'S NAME AND DETAILS ON BED NURSES TENDING TO PATIENTS VARIOUS OF PATIENTS LYING ON BEDS NURSE TALKING TO PATIENT (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) INJURED MAN, MAHMUD SAYING: "Thank God the facility is good, my family (who are treated here) are fine too, we should not complain about it." PATIENTS ON BEDS LINED UP IN WALKWAY DOCTOR OF RSUD PIDIE JAYA HOSPITAL, ITAN (WEARING GREY HIJAB), TALKING TO OTHER DOCTORS (SOUNDBITE) (Bahasa Indonesia) DOCTOR OF RSUD PIDIE JAYA HOSPITAL, ITAN, SAYING: "Most of the patients are suffering from injuries on their chest, head and their limbs, many of them were hit by collapsed buildings and some fell from the second floor, because many patients tried to flee from the second floor." VARIOUS OF LOCALS COLLECTING BOTTLED DRINKING WATER FROM DEBRIS SEARCH OPERATION ONGOING
  • Embargoed: 23rd December 2016 11:18
  • Keywords: Indonesia quake hospital disaster patient
  • Location: PIDIE JAYA, ACEH PROVINCE, INDONESIA
  • City: PIDIE JAYA, ACEH PROVINCE, INDONESIA
  • Country: Indonesia
  • Reuters ID: LVA0015C0XGZP
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Patients in Indonesia's Aceh province were being treated outdoors in a local hospital compound on Thursday (December 8) after a magnitude 6.5 earthquake killed more than 100 people and injured over 700 others.
    Local hospitals have been struggling to cope with the sudden influx of injured patients, prompting the government to dispatch medical personnel from nearby towns to reinforce. Media report said the quake-hit area is also facing a shortage of food.
    Most of the patients at Rsud Pidie Jaya hospital are suffering from injuries to the chest, head and limbs after being hit by collapsing buildings, a doctor at the facility said.
    "Some fell from the second floor, because many patients tried to flee," added the doctor, Itan, who goes by one name like many Indonesians.
    Experts said the 6.5 magnitude quake on Wednesday (December 7) did more damage than expected because of poorly constructed buildings.
    It was the biggest disaster to hit the province on the northern tip of Sumatra Island since the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, which killed more than 120,000 people in Aceh alone.
    Indonesia's national disaster management agency put the death toll at 102 on Thursday, and said thousands had been left homeless.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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