Anzacs salvage hospital

MEDICAL SERVICES

By CPL Cameron Jamieson

CAF AIRMSHL Angus Houston, with MAJ Sue Taggart, introduces himself to a patient at the ANZAC Hospital after his arrival in Banda Aceh.

Photos by AB Phillip Cullinan

Medical staff perform surgery.

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* The Anzac team offers surgery, primary care and enviornmental health support. About one-third of the 900 local hospital staff are believed to be dead. Trade work done to the hospital has included sewerage, electricity and cleaning up damaged equipment.

THE Australian and New Zealand men and women of the Anzac Field Hospital have upheld the highest standards as they deliver medical services to survivors of the Boxing Day earthquake and tsunami.

Following in the path of the Parachute Surgical Team that first deployed to Banda Aceh, the Anzac Field Hospital moved into the damaged buildings of the Zainal Abidin General Hospital and started bringing order to the chaos around them.

CO of the Anzac Field Hospital, Lieutenant-Colonel Georgina Whelan, said a considerable amount of work was needed to get the hospital functioning, not just to establish the clinical capability, but also to clear away the mud and debris from the buildings they have occupied.

“It’s been a whole-of-hospital effort to get this place up and running,” she said.

“We’ve also had considerable trade work done in the areas of sewerage, plumbing, water treatment and electricity.”

The public hospital was devastated by the tsunami, and the death toll among the patients and staff was high.

“This was a 450-bed teaching hospital staffed by 900 employees. About a third of the staff have been accounted for and have returned, but it is our understanding that at least another third have died.”

Of the patients in the hospital at the time, the infants and those unable to move themselves perished in the tsunami.

“A considerable number of wards had to be cleared [of bodies],” LTCOL Whelan said.

“That was mainly done by the Indonesian Armed Forces, however, we are still uncovering bodies.” The Anzac team is now providing services ranging from surgical and high-dependent care to primary care and environmental health support.

More than 100 surgical treatments have been conducted and there are now more than 200 patients accommodated within the refurbished buildings.

“We’ve been able to salvage a lot. Our bio-med technicians and our electricians have done considerable work on cleaning up the damaged equipment from the public hospital ... the staff have cleaned everything to a point where we have two wards fully functioning with Indonesian equipment.”

The German military has also set up a field hospital in the grounds of the public hospital and between the Indonesians, Australians and Germans, there are moves to ensure the Zainal Abidin General Hospital will once again be one of the best teaching hospitals in Indonesia.

“The main challenge we face now is the long-term refurbishment of the hospital, which is beyond the capacity of the current military capability,” LTCOL Whelan said.

ADF medical teams will return soon after a staged transition to civilian medical practitioners. Indonesian staff resumed control of the hospital’s infectious diseases ward on February 15.

Dr Rus Munandar, the Indonesian director of the public hospital, went to work on December 27 despite losing his home and everything but the clothes he wore.

“There are a lot of people in Banda Aceh who are suffering from psychotrauma and have unsettled tempers, but the Anzac military personnel have a calming effect on them,” Dr Rus said.

“They are honest, patient and polite, and I really appreciate the peace they bring to the people.”

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