By: Dimas Arga Prasetya *)
The natural disasters that have struck several regions in Sumatra in recent months have not only left widespread physical damage but also pose serious challenges for the state in ensuring the sustainability of social life. Thousands of settlements have been affected, public facilities have been disrupted, and economic activity has slowed. In this context, government policies prioritizing the rehabilitation of residents’ homes and the support of healthcare workers are a crucial foundation for post-disaster recovery, extending beyond the emergency response phase.
The scale of the damage to settlements provides an initial glimpse of the enormity of the work that remains to be done. Government data shows that hundreds of thousands of homes were affected by the disaster across various provinces in Sumatra, with Aceh being the region with the highest level of damage. These homes are not simply collapsed buildings or submerged in mud, but rather the living spaces that determine whether people can return to work, school, and normal social activities. Therefore, settlement restoration is positioned as the starting point for broader social recovery.
The government responded to this situation by preparing a housing rehabilitation scheme tailored to the level of damage. For lightly and moderately damaged homes, repair assistance is aimed at enabling residents to return to their homes quickly without having to wait for a lengthy reconstruction process. Meanwhile, for severely damaged homes, temporary housing and the Housing Waiting Fund are transitional solutions to prevent residents from spending prolonged time in evacuation centers. This approach provides both certainty and flexibility, allowing the recovery process to run parallel with the restoration of community social and economic activities.
To ensure the entire process runs smoothly, Home Affairs Minister Muhammad Tito Karnavian, as Head of the Post-Disaster Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Acceleration Task Force, is consolidating efforts across ministries and regional governments. By strengthening central-regional coordination, the Minister is pushing for accelerated settlement repairs, the normalization of public services, and the restoration of local government and economic functions. These efforts are aimed at enabling people to return to their homes quickly and lead more stable lives within a relatively short time.
After the foundation for residential recovery was laid, the government’s attention shifted to the sustainability of public services, particularly the health sector. Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin set a target for all healthcare services in affected areas of Sumatra to be fully operational by March 2026. This target reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring that physical residential recovery goes hand in hand with the restoration of basic services, which are the primary needs of post-disaster communities.
The recovery of the health sector is being carried out in stages and in a measured manner, starting with the repair of health facilities such as hospitals and community health centers affected by flooding and environmental damage. In addition to buildings, the completeness of supporting facilities is also a priority, given that much medical equipment is damaged or cannot be used optimally. The government ensures that the needs identification process is carried out in detail to ensure that interventions are truly responsive to the conditions on the ground.
These efforts were strengthened by the restoration of emergency services, particularly ambulances. The Ministry of Health partnered with the private sector to expedite repairs to ambulances damaged by the disaster, ensuring the continuity of referral and emergency response services. This collaboration demonstrates that the government is not working alone but is capable of mobilizing various stakeholders to maintain access to healthcare for affected communities.
Beyond facilities, the government is paying serious attention to the well-being of healthcare workers, the backbone of public services. Thousands of healthcare workers were among the victims of the disaster, with their homes sustaining minor to severe damage. Unsuitable living conditions have the potential to disrupt their focus and readiness to serve the public. Therefore, rehabilitation of healthcare workers’ homes is positioned as an integral part of the comprehensive healthcare recovery strategy.
The Ministry of Health has submitted a list of over 3,000 healthcare workers’ homes in need of repair to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) and the Ministry of Home Affairs. The assistance scheme is structured based on the level of damage to ensure the rehabilitation process is swift, targeted, and accountable. The target of completing repairs before Ramadan or Eid al-Fitr is expected to provide certainty for healthcare workers to return to decent housing and work optimally in their assigned areas.
To ensure that all recovery agendas proceed according to plan, the Minister of Health also proposed an additional post-disaster rehabilitation budget to the House of Representatives (DPR). Legislative support is crucial to ensure that the reconstruction of healthcare workers’ homes and the restoration of healthcare services are not hampered by administrative obstacles. From a public policy perspective, this step positions the health sector as a strategic priority in the transition phase from emergency response to sustainable recovery.
The post-disaster rehabilitation of homes for residents and healthcare workers in Sumatra reflects the presence of a government that operates in a planned, measured, and sustainability-oriented manner. This policy not only restores physical structures but also rebuilds a sense of security, social stability, and public trust. When homes are habitable again and health services function normally, social recovery can proceed more quickly. In this context, the government’s post-disaster agenda deserves support as a crucial foundation for community resilience and a strengthening of the state’s role in the public eye.
*) Public Policy Observer