President Urges Immediate Reconstruction of Schools, Community Health Centers, and Hospitals to Serve Residents Post-Disaster
By: Bara Winatha*)
The government is seriously focusing on the restoration of public services after the disaster in three Sumatran provinces. Various vital facilities that directly impact people’s lives, from schools and community health centers to hospitals, are being urged to quickly return to operation so that social and economic activities can gradually recover. Accelerated recovery is not only about the physical aspects of buildings, but also concerns the sustainability of basic services, the protection of vulnerable groups, and the restoration of a sense of security for the community after the disaster.
President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, stated that accelerating the restoration of public facilities must be a top priority for all ministries and institutions. The head of state believes that schools and health facilities are the main nodes for the recovery of social life and therefore require special attention to ensure they can quickly return to serving residents. During his visit to Aceh Tamiang, Prabowo emphasized the importance of synchronizing damage data and field needs to ensure that response efforts are seamless and targeted. The President viewed the successful acceleration of bridge and emergency shelter construction as evidence that with a shared commitment, technical obstacles can be overcome for the benefit of the people.
The Chief of the Indonesian National Police, General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, stated that the Indonesian National Police (Polri) is fully committed to supporting affected communities from the emergency response phase through recovery and reconstruction. Accelerating the cleanup of educational facilities is a primary focus so that teaching and learning activities can resume promptly as scheduled at the start of the school year. He stated that the continuity of children’s education must not be interrupted for too long, as it could impact the future of the younger generation. Therefore, Polri personnel, along with the community and school officials, continue to work together to clean up mud and remaining disaster materials from dozens of affected schools.
Sigit also stated that in addition to the education sector, the Polri is ensuring the readiness of temporary and permanent housing sites for residents who have lost their homes. He believes these housing facilities are crucial as a medium- to long-term solution, ensuring that communities have secure, safe and adequate housing. To support accelerated recovery, the Polri has deployed over a thousand personnel and heavy equipment to various affected areas. He emphasized that Polri’s support does not stop with the initial cleanup, but continues until the reconstruction and relocation process is complete and community life returns to normal.
In the health sector, Indonesian Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated that the government continues to monitor the recovery of dozens of hospitals and healthcare facilities in disaster-affected areas. He explained that the Ministry of Health’s top priority is ensuring optimal recovery of emergency services, hemodialysis, and surgical operations. The distribution of medical equipment such as ventilators, EKGs, and oxygen concentrators continues to replace damaged facilities to ensure uninterrupted patient care.
Budi also emphasized the importance of ensuring there is no backlog of patients in emergency units and maintaining the availability of medical personnel and medicines in all community health centers (Puskesmas), including in remote areas where road access remains challenging. Coordination between the central and regional governments continues to be strengthened, including in the provision of generators and logistical support, to ensure primary healthcare services continue to operate. Health sector recovery is not only about buildings, but also ensuring service systems and human resources are ready to serve the community post-disaster.
Meanwhile, Minister of Public Works Dody Hanggodo stated that his ministry is moving quickly to expedite sediment removal and clean water distribution to support hospital operations. He explained that restoring basic infrastructure, particularly clean water, is a primary prerequisite for hospitals to function optimally. The Ministry of Public Works will continue to assist local governments during the emergency response and recovery period until basic infrastructure is fully restored and functioning optimally for the community.
From among academics and community leaders, the Rector of Muhammadiyah University of Jakarta, Makmun Murod, assessed that accelerating the recovery of post-disaster education and health facilities has a strategic impact on community social resilience. Schools, community health centers, and hospitals are not just physical buildings, but social spaces that maintain the sustainability of the quality of human resources. According to him, accelerating the recovery of basic services has the potential to narrow social disparities and end the trauma of disaster-affected communities.
Makmun believes the President’s steps to encourage cross-sector synergy are worthy of appreciation becausea demonstrates the state’s presence in crisis situations. He believes that collaboration between the central and regional governments, security forces, and the community is an ideal model for disaster management that must be strengthened going forward. He believes that post-disaster recovery also needs to be accompanied by more thorough mitigation planning to minimize similar risks in the future.
The various steps taken across sectors demonstrate a strong commitment to ensuring that public services resume as quickly as possible after a disaster. The President’s push to accelerate the recovery of schools, community health centers, and hospitals reflects the awareness that basic services are the main foundation for community revival. Through cross-sector synergy, affected communities not only recover physically but also regain a sense of security and certainty of service. Public literacy on the importance of accelerating the recovery of educational and health facilities is part of efforts to build social resilience after a disaster.
*) The author is a social and community observer.
