Burn Specialists Dispatched to Treat Mount Semeru Victims

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Coordinating Minister of Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy in a statement on Monday said the Mount Semeru eruption on Saturday caused many victims to sustain various degrees of burn injuries. 

“There were even those sustaining 80 percent burn injury. We are looking into specially treating the burn victims,” said Muhadjir in his statement.

The local Pasirian General Hospital is treating at least 16 burn victims after they were exposed to the searing heat from the hot ash clouds spewed from Semeru. The hospital logged at least 6 of them sustained 80 percent burn injuries. 

The Minister said he has coordinated with the Health Ministry upon dispatching dermatologists and burn specialists to treat these victims, who are not able to be transported to hospitals that are able to treat their injuries as they are located far away from where the natural disaster happened. 

"We asked for the help of specialists and subspecialists to treat them, plastic surgeons, and nurses who have experience treating people with burns, and so on. Earlier I asked the Minister of Health to immediately send the aids," said Minister Muhadjir.

Read: Mount Semeru Eruption: Hospitals, Health Centers Treat Dozens of Burn Victims

EGI ADYATAMA