A Long Term Commitment To Rebuilding Health Care Facilities In Nias

MERCY Malaysia’s involvement in Nias, Indonesia began in the wake of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. We have conducted a number of reconstruction and rehabilitation projects in Nias while also offering expertise in the area of hospital management. We were appointed to manage the master plan for the reconstruction of the Rumah Sakit Umum Gunung Sitoli, the main referral hospital in Nias. Work began in 2005 and was completed in 2008. However our contribution did not end here.

Since then MERCY Malaysia has focused its attention on providing capacity development for the staff of the RSU Gunung Sitoli. To help us achieve this we have been working closely with the Pusat Perubatan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (PPUKM). In 2008, MERCY Malaysia and PPUKM signed an MOU to work together to facilitate humanitarian assistance operations, with a particular focus on Nias.

Starting in April 2009, the partnership has resulted in training being conducted for nurses at RSU Gunung Sitoli. The training sought to enrich the nurses’ knowledge of international best practice in nursing techniques and to develop the capacity of the hospital to serve the people of Nias.

In August 2009, 119 nurses attended workshops on Professional Development, Infection Control and Emergency Department. This was followed by a second round of training from in March this year for 94 nurses on Ward Management, Central Sterile Supply Department (CSSD), Operation Theatre and Intensive Care Unit.

We are indebted to the staff of PPUKM’s Nursing Department, namely Mrs. Hamidah Hassan, Mrs. Ho Siew Eng and Mrs. Santhna Lecthmi Panduragan for volunteering with MERCY Malaysia throughout these workshops. Their commitment was invaluable to the success for the training programme.

To reinforce this initial training, MERCY Malaysia and PPUKM lecturers selected 18 staff from RSU Gunung Sitoli for a one week attachment in HUKM in April 2010. The attachment provided them with exposure on how HUKM manages operations in the infection control unit, surgical ward, emergency department, intensive care unit and CSSD. PPUKM staff and lecturers shared their expertise with the participants. The participants also had the opportunity to observe a disaster drill in Ulu Bendol.

In June MERCY Malaysia and PPUKM will assist RSU Gunung Sitoli set up a fully functional CSSD unit. We will provide training in Nias on Neo-Natal Intensive Unit Care, Obstetrics – Gynecology and Haemodialysis.

This project highlights MERCY Malaysia’s commitment to providing sustainable outcomes for beneficiaries. Instead of just reconstructing the hospital, we added value by developing the capacity of the staff as well. Why? Because MERCY Malaysia is committed to taking a holistic approach to our work with the aim of helping beneficiaries help themselves.

Maria Laurianti
Senior Programme Support Officer