The Injured Victim Of The Earthquake In Afghanistan Reaches Thousands Of People, MER-C Provides Assistance Sending A Surgical Team

The medical emergency agency MER-C (Medical Emergency Rescue Committee) held a / Via ANTARA

JAKARTA - The medical emergency agency MER-C (Medical Emergency Rescue Committee) will send a surgical team to provide medical assistance for earthquake victims in Afghanistan.

"MER-C deems it necessary to send a surgical team to help deal with the acute phase in the first two weeks. Therefore we will send a surgical team," said the Head of MER-C Presidium dr. Sarbini Abdul Murad at a press conference in Jakarta, Antara, Friday, June 24.

Considering the characteristics of the disaster that occurred as an earthquake, the team prepared by MER-C to assist the victims was a surgical team, consisting of orthopedic surgeons, anesthesiologists, general practitioners and nurses.

"So the possibility of personnel to be sent is around 4-5 people, consisting of surgeons, anesthesiologists, general practitioners and nurses," he said.

The surgical team, he said, would depart next week to be able to immediately provide assistance to the victims.

"They will leave next week. We are trying to get them to go there as soon as possible. And this will be coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Indonesian Embassy in Afghanistan," he further said.

Meanwhile, MER-C also asked the government to take humanitarian steps to help the victims and to coordinate with the Afghan government so that the relief mission can run well.

"We need the government to send missions too, because transportation conditions there are very minimal. Then, proper buildings and hospitals there are also very minimal. Therefore, there needs to be a field hospital. Afghanistan," he said.

An earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale rocked Afghanistan on June 22, 2022. The location of the earthquake was about 44 kilometers from the town of Khost, which is near Afghanistan's border with Pakistan.

The earthquake occurred in the early hours of the morning local time when residents were sleeping so many people were unable to save themselves.

Temporary data states that at least 1.000 people died and 1.500 others were injured.

The number is expected to continue to grow because search efforts are still ongoing to find victims who were crushed by the rubble of the building.