The 17,500 islands of Indonesia are home to nearly 250 million people, making it the fourth largest country in the world. Located on the planet’s “Ring of Fire,” Indonesia is prone to earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and flooding. The geography and decentralized administrative structure of the world’s largest archipelago nation along with the high number of people living in poverty present challenges in the distribution of health care, particularly in times of disaster or disease outbreak. Critical health issues:

• High incidence of communicable disease such as malaria, dengue fever, typhoid and diarrheal disease
• Health care access in remote and rural areas most notably during disasters

Our Work:

AmeriCares medical and humanitarian aid in Indonesia has centered on disaster response and recovery. The 2004 Asia tsunami, several major earthquakes and severe flooding have all triggered emergency relief efforts. After the tsunami, AmeriCares established program offices in the Indonesian capital Jakarta, and in one of the worst hit areas, Banda Aceh to guide reconstruction efforts.

In 2010, a 7.7 earthquake and tsunami in Indonesia killed hundreds of people. We responded with emergency aid to several remote islands that suffered the most damage from the disaster.

In 2009, two major earthquakes rocked Indonesia, killing over 1,000 on Sumatra.

We mounted disaster relief and emergency response efforts from our U.S. headquarters and on the ground in Indonesia. In the recovery phase we supported the rebuilding of a local hospital.

In 2007, flooding inundated much of Jakarta. We helped communities clean up their homes and provided the damaged As-Sa’adah primary school and orphanage with furniture and supplies. In the recovery phase, we supported the rebuilding or repair of health centers and a water supply system.

In 2006, an earthquake struck the island of Java. AmeriCares Indonesia office responded immediately with relief supplies including food, drinking water, and basic medicines for stricken communities.

On December 26, 2004, Indonesia’s largest earthquake in 40 years — measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale — generated a tsunami that decimated the province of Aceh, killing an estimated 180,000 people.

We responded with three back-to-back airlifts of medicines, supplies and water purification treatments. Our relief experts assessment of the massive damage to the health sector, initiated a major commitment to recovery and reconstruction over the next five years. Programs included rebuilding hospitals and clinics, schools, water systems, training health workers and developing livelihoods for survivors.

Read More about our tsunami response.

Disaster Preparedness:

We are helping partners purchase and preposition critical emergency supplies to help displaced families within 72 hours of a disaster. Read More »

Through our Medical Outreach Program, AmeriCares provides critical medicines and supplies to doctors and health care professionals who travel to Indonesia to volunteer medical care to people in need in many rural communities. AmeriCares commitment through this volunteer program to provide clinics with antibiotics, antiseptic dressings, sutures and so many other medications helps ensure these essentials are available when an emergency, injury or illness occurs.

Find out more about our Medical Outreach program