Emergency Relief of Earthquake Disaster at Maluku Province

On 26th September an earthquake of 6.5 magnitude struck Ambon, Maluku Province of Indonesia. A series of aftershocks and smaller quakes followed shaking the surrounding areas and causing significant injury and damage. More than 30 people have died, 179 people injured, and estimated 166,903 IDPs in 4 areas. Furthermore, more than 4,000 houses were damaged in addition to several public facilities and infrastructure that are currently out of action. Our response will consist of the provision of primary healthcare, psychosocial services (PSS), and psychological first aid (PFA). This action is critical because of the reduced health care available, caused by damage to health facilities, heightened risk of communicable diseases from damaged hygiene facilities and scale of displacement, and the psychological trauma caused by the disaster. A large number of community members fled their homes due to the fear of larger subsequent shakes and potential Tsunamis, part due to the memory of previous disasters. This has been deemed inaccurate by meteorologists but the need for psychosocial support is high. The full services offered will be; - Medical services team consisting of 2 Medical Doctors, and 2 nurses/midwives targeting 1,250 people in 6 villages targeting vulnerable groups including children, people living with disabilities, women, and the elderly. - Psychosocial services (PSS) team consisting of 2 PSS officers and a local volunteer from the targeted area. Services will be delivered alongside the medical services and include child friendly spaces and safe spaces for those affected. - Psychological first aid (PFA): 1 therapist/ psychologist will be conducting 1:1 therapy alongside the medical services team