Nearly a week after the deadly quake in central Indonesia, new patients streamed into area hospitals on Friday, seeking treatment for quake-related injuries, medical staff said.
”We continue to receive new patients injured in the quake,” said Maridi, who works at the Sardjito general hospital in Yogyakarta, the main city in the quake zone.
Maridi said at least 91 people had been treated for injuries sustained on Saturday, when the 6,3-magnitude earthquake struck, killing more than 6 200 people and causing widespread damage in Yogyakarta and Central Java provinces.
”Some have received first-aid care from volunteers in their areas, a few from isolated areas came here for their first medical care, while others were referred here from smaller hospitals and medical centers,” Maridi said.
In Bantul, the main town in one of the hardest-hit districts, the general hospital also continued to admit new patients.
”A lot of new patients with quake-related injuries came here today [Friday],” said Bantul hospital staff member Sunarto.
He had no immediate data available but said dozens had been admitted.
Most suffered from broken bones, he said, adding that those with the most serious injuries were immediately referred to the hospital in Yogyakarta.
Meanwhile, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said in a statement that it was working to identify rooming houses and small hotels in Yogyakarta for newly discharged patients with nowhere else to go.
”Many patients have no homes to return to or are not prepared yet to go back to their villages so, they really need a safe, secure place to live while they recuperate from their injuries,” IOM physician Nenette Motus said. — AFP
