Humanitarian Aid to Indonesia

The transfer of a military field hospital from Russia to Indonesia's Aceh province is being completed on January 17. As a result of the air transport operation, carried out by Russian Air Force Il-76 planes, 40 hospital tens for 130 beds have been delivered to the provincial capital Banda Aceh in 12 flights, as well as an operation theater, medical equipment, including X-ray apparatuses, a wide set of medicines, transport vehicles, fuel, a field kitchen and other items.

Through the help of the officials from the Russian embassy in Indonesia, currently in Banda Aceh, measures have been taken for the speediest deployment of the hospital and start of its work. An experienced medical staff from the Volga-Ural Military District are entering upon their duties. The reception of the first patients has begun.

In its work the Russian hospital is closely cooperating with local authorities and with the UN structures exercising the overall coordination of international humanitarian relief to Indonesia.

At the meeting of hospital administrators on January 17 with General Bambang Darmono, the Indonesian Natural Disaster Prevention Task Group Commander, he expressed his profound gratitude to the Russian doctors for their rendering of prompt aid to the disaster-hit population of Aceh.

January 17, 2005