News and Events

ADB and BRR Working Together to Improve Health Services in Nias Island

Nias Island (North Sumatera Province), INDONESIA - Willy Sabandar, Head of Badan Rehabilitasi dan Rekonstruksi (BRR) representative office in Nias and Pieter Smidt, Head of Asian Development Bank's (ADB) Extended Mission in Sumatera office, participated in the groundbreaking for the construction sub-district health centers (puskesmas) in Lolowa'u, Nias Selatan, and Gunung Sitoli, Nias, on 14 and 15 January 2008. Representatives of the heads of Nias Selatan and Nias district governments, BRR officials and community members also participated.

ADB is providing the financing for the construction and equipping of 6 model puskesmas in Nias Island - 3 each in Nias and Nias Selatan districts. The construction of these puskesmas is part of ADB's assistance for the Puskesmas Improvement Model (PIM) initiative. BRR with the assistance of consultants is currently working with the Health Department (Dinas Kesehatan) to develop and operationalize this initiative.

The PIM initiative is designed to strengthen the management systems and community ownership of puskesmas, thus improving access to basic health care for the underserved communities as well as efficiency of the primary health delivery system. The initiative includes capacity building, procurement of medical equipment and health promotion facilities, furniture and ambulances. The capacity building activities focus on introducing appropriate management practices and increasing skill levels of clinical staff at the puskesmas. A substantial effort will also placed on enhancing the community ownership of the PIM initiative.

Mr. Sabandar stressed that BRR fully supports the PIM initiative as illustrated by its decision to provide complementary funding to hire health workers for the puskesmas as well as for the development of regulations to ensure successful implementation and sustainability. However, he added that, "ADB and BRR's support invariably face multitude of challenges but these can be mitigated if all stakeholders can work together closely."

Mr. Smidt further underlined the need for support and commitment from the local authorities for the operationalization and sustainability of PIM. "ADB and BRR provide the facilities and basic skills for the 6 puskesmas to deliver health services to meet the community's demands. The local authorities need to optimally utilize the investments facilitated by ADB and BRR to ensure equal access to basic health care for the population on Nias Island, especially the vulnerable and the underserved, and to ensure a sustainable health development on the island."

The Deputy Head of Nias Selatan District, Mr. Daniel Duha requested all stakeholders to actively support the project. He advised to utilize the facilities optimally. He noted that while good looking facilities help, it is even more important to have skilled human resources in the model facilities.

ADB's multi-sector tsunami for Indonesia assistance package covers agriculture, fisheries, irrigation, micro and small enterprise development, housing, water and sanitation, health, education, transport, power, spatial planning and environmental management, and fiduciary oversight.

The $291 million ADB grant is financing the Earthquake and Tsunami Emergency Support Project (ETESP) to support disaster management, reconstruction and rehabilitation in affected areas of Aceh and North Sumatra. In addition, ADB has contributed a $10 million grant to the Multi-Donor Fund for Aceh and Nias.

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