IOM is consolidating and expanding its
emergency response to Saturday’s devastating earthquake on
Java, delivering relief supplies to the worst-affected areas and
helping hundreds of injured people return home from
hospital.

“With every passing day we’ve been
able to expand our operations to deliver the basic commodities and
medical attention people need to get through this most difficult
period,” says IOM chief of mission, Steve Cook. “Now we
are looking at things like the provision of shelter and livelihood
support, so we can help as many people as possible to recover from
this national tragedy.”

IOM is appealing for US$16.5 million for
transport and logistics, livelihood support, medical assistance,
provision of emergency shelter and non-food items, as well as water
and sanitation for people displaced by the disaster.

Thirty-five staff from IOM offices across the
country are currently working out of Yogjakarta. “We are
building up our truck fleet and doing all we can to support the
government’s efforts,” says government liaison officer,
Ronnie Bala. “The amount of traffic on the roads is still a
challenge, but the good news is that there is very little serious
damage done to the roads and bridges – a very different
picture from Aceh.”

IOM created and maintained the crucial
land-based supply route into Aceh in the wake of the December 2004
tsunami, delivering more than 80,000 tons of materials to
Indonesia’s northernmost province.

The Indonesian government this week asked IOM
to manage the transport and logistics response to the emergency,
and spearhead the delivery of food- and non-food items to
earthquake-affected districts on behalf of local authorities and
international relief organizations. IOM has delivered some 190 tons
so far.

IOM has also deployed an 11-member medical
team to assess damaged medical infrastructure and help over 500
patients newly discharged from hospitals and their accompanying
family members to return to their home villages. On Friday morning
alone, 161 people received help.

At the request of local health officials, IOM
is also identifying rooming houses and small hotels in Yogjakarta
that can be used as transit centers for newly discharged patients.
“Many patients have no homes to return to or are not prepared
yet to go back to their villages so they really need a safe, secure
place to live while they recuperate from their injuries,”
says IOM Dr. Nenette Motus.

IOM medical staff in Bantul, the hardest-hit
district are also identifying patients for surgery and transporting
them in a fleet of 20 minivans to a US Marine mobile field hospital
in an effort to relieve some of the pressure on the local hospital.
A similar service is also being provided to a 60-bed field hospital
opened by the Indonesian Red Cross.

For more information, please contact:

Paul Dillon

Tel. +62 812 698 8035

Email. "mailto:pdillon@iom.int" target="_blank" title=
"">pdillon@iom.int

Shima Roy

Tel. +62.811.947.143

Email : "mailto:sroy@iom.int" target="_blank" title="">sroy@iom.int