AMBULANS MOTOR (Adonara) - Ekspedisi Indonesia Biru #27

Summary

The video highlights the creative and cost-effective solutions provided by a local organization, YKS (Yayasan Kesehatan untuk Semua), in East Flores, Indonesia. By utilizing motorbikes as ambulances, they enable medical workers to reach remote areas, overcoming geographical challenges like rivers and mountains. Despite limited government support, these initiatives have been crucial for providing health services in isolated regions. The video explores the struggles of medical staff and the inadequacies of local infrastructure, emphasizing the dire need for government investment in healthcare facilities and resources in such underserved communities.

Takeaways

• 😀 A local organization in East Flores, known as Yayasan Kesehatan untuk Semua (YKS), helps medical staff reach remote areas using motorcycles, providing a creative and cost-effective solution.
• 😀 YKS's ambulance motorcycles were a pioneering initiative in 2000, though the government did not initially prioritize such efforts.
• 😀 To reach the island of Adonara from Flores, one must cross the Gonzales Strait, where boats are the only means of transport for motorcycles.
• 😀 The Gonzales Strait's strong currents have the potential to generate electricity through a turbine, a concept tested in 2010 but never further pursued.
• 😀 The healthcare facility on Adonara is a Puskesmas (community health center), where patients needing referrals are transported by wooden boats to larger hospitals on Flores.
• 😀 Medical staff like Markus Masan Bali travel over rough terrain, using motorcycles and boats to provide healthcare services in remote villages on Adonara.
• 😀 Health services in the village are delivered through a posyandu (community health post), where Markus provides integrated health services on a monthly basis.
• 😀 Despite limited resources, the local Puskesmas serves over 12,000 people but only has one motorcycle to support its operations in remote areas.
• 😀 The government allocates operational health funding annually, but the local Puskesmas struggles with a lack of infrastructure and resources.
• 😀 The 15-year-old ambulance is in poor condition, with broken windows and rust, reflecting the challenges faced by healthcare facilities in underserved areas.
• 😀 Despite attempts to obtain new resources, like ambulances and medical equipment, the bureaucracy and lack of government support hinder the provision of adequate services.

Q & A

What is YKS and how does it help the medical personnel in East Flores?

YKS (Yayasan Kesehatan untuk Semua), also known as the motorcycle ambulance, is a local organization that helps medical personnel in East Flores by providing them with motorcycles to reach remote areas. This creative and relatively inexpensive initiative started in 2000 to improve access to healthcare in hard-to-reach regions.

What challenge does the organization face when transporting patients?

One major challenge faced is the limited availability of vehicles like ambulances to reach remote areas. The only way to transport patients in many cases is by using motorcycles or wooden boats, which makes it difficult to provide timely medical care, especially in areas like Adonara.

How does the crossing of the Gonzales Strait relate to transportation in the area?

The Gonzales Strait, which separates Flores and Adonara, has strong currents, making boat travel necessary to reach the islands. This waterway presents a challenge for transporting medical personnel and patients, often requiring wooden boats to navigate the difficult waters.

What role does Markus play in the healthcare system on Adonara?

Markus is a medical worker who provides healthcare services to remote communities on Adonara. He travels to these areas, such as the village of Wwadan, to offer medical services at posyandus (health posts), providing care to those who live far from the nearest health centers.

What is the condition of the health post (Puskesmas) in Adonara?

The Puskesmas in Adonara, which serves over 12,000 people, is under-resourced and outdated. The building is over 30 years old and has never been renovated, despite yearly requests for funding. Additionally, the ambulance service is limited to just one motorcycle, which is insufficient for the area’s needs.

What problem does the Puskesmas face regarding funding for healthcare infrastructure?

The Puskesmas faces significant challenges in obtaining the necessary funds for proper infrastructure and vehicle maintenance. Despite having an annual operational budget of 300 million IDR, the funds are not allocated for vehicle upkeep or renovation of the building, which is in a state of disrepair.

Why is the government's response to healthcare initiatives like YKS limited?

The government’s response is limited due to a lack of prioritization of rural healthcare needs. Although there is funding available, such as from the national budget, the allocation does not adequately address the needs of the healthcare system in remote areas, and there is little follow-through on initiatives like YKS.

How does the YKS motorcycle ambulance contribute to healthcare in remote areas?

The YKS motorcycle ambulance program plays a critical role by providing medical personnel with the ability to reach remote villages. This initiative helps bridge the gap in healthcare accessibility by allowing medical workers to travel to areas that would otherwise be inaccessible by traditional ambulances.

What other challenges do medical personnel face in their work on Adonara?

Medical personnel face challenges such as inadequate facilities, lack of proper transportation, and unsafe working conditions. For example, Markus and his colleagues often have to travel long distances by motorcycle, and the Puskesmas building itself is in poor condition, with risks from potential structural damage.

What impact did Australian aid have on the healthcare system in Adonara?

Australian aid had a positive impact by providing resources such as a water pump in 2008. However, when YKS received ambulances from the U.S., they were unable to use them due to import costs, highlighting the bureaucratic hurdles that impede the flow of foreign aid.