January 7, 2026 | 08:17 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Health stated that the government will cover the cost of restoring healthcare services damaged by the Sumatra disaster last November. Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated that recovery costs will come from the state budget, channeled through the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).
Budi stated that the Ministry of Health spent more than Rp50 billion for the initial clean-up phase over the past month. The ministry is currently proposing an additional budget of Rp500 billion.
"We have proposed a budget of around Rp500 billion for the third phase of revitalization," Budi said at a press conference on disaster mitigation progress at the BNPB office in Jakarta on Wednesday, January 7, 2026.
Budi stated that the funds will be used to revitalize buildings and purchase medical equipment. In total, 87 hospitals were affected, with nine suffering severe damage.
Hospitals such as Aceh Tamiang, Langkat, and Tanjung Pura Regional Public Hospitals were paralyzed and only recovered in the last two weeks. "These nine hospitals were flooded more than waist-deep. The equipment was truly in disarray," he said.
Furthermore, 867 community health centers (Puskesmas) were damaged. Budi explained that 152 were severely damaged, submerged in water, and three were completely unusable.
The three unusable facilities were Rusip Antara Puskesmas in Central Aceh, Jambu Lakian Puskesmas in Southeast Aceh, and Lokop Puskesmas in East Aceh. The Ministry of Health plans to rebuild these three facilities near their original locations.
Budi explained that heavy flooding and landslides in Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra damaged hundreds of medical and laboratory units. Floodwaters swept away computers and ambulances. Vital equipment such as computed tomography (CT) scanners and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines were largely inoperable.
Budi ensured that the state would replace all damage. "Expensive medical equipment like CT scans and MRIs, and if they're damaged, they cost billions. We're sending technicians to assess the damage, identify which ones need repair and which ones need replacement," he said.
Budi estimates that the restoration of healthcare facilities in the affected areas will not be fully completed until March 2026.
Read: BNPB: Sumatra Post-Flood Mud Reaches Record 3 Meters
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