MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, BANTUL – The ASEAN Disaster Emergency Response Simulation Exercise 2023 (ARDEX-23) has been underway since July 31, 2023. Today, on August 3, 2023, the International Field Exercise, aimed at disaster response for ASEAN countries, took place at the Sultan Agung Stadium Complex, Bantul, Yogyakarta.
The primary objective of this event was to train and prepare the Emergency Medical Team (EMT) and Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) for the field simulation scheduled on August 3, 2023. Equipment, such as the National Post Support tent, refugee tents, field hospitals, communication vehicles, and firefighting trucks, is prepared for the exercise.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), in collaboration with the ASEAN Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Center), selected Bantul Regency as the venue for ARDEX 2023 to evaluate the government’s disaster readiness and response, especially regarding the emergency command chain.
ARDEX-23 became a medium for stakeholders in Bantul Regency and the Yogyakarta Provincial Government to evaluate emergency policies, strategies, and operational actions, particularly focusing on the Emergency Medical Team (EMT).
“The support from various parties, including the Field Hospital Team from RS PKU Muhammadiyah Bantul, is crucial for the success of this joint exercise. They are part of the EMT coordinated by the Health Crisis Center of the Ministry of Health and the Health Department at the regional level,” said Khaeriawan, Head of the Training Center of BNPB.
Meanwhile, Budi Setiawan, the Chair of Muhammadiyah Disaster Management Center (MDMC), warmly welcomed the ARDEX-23 held in Bantul, Yogyakarta.
“This TTX and FTX exercise is vital for enhancing collaboration in disaster mitigation and building multi-sector and multi-country disaster preparedness. We hope this exercise will successfully foster unity in One ASEAN, One Response,” said Budi Setiawan.
Since 2008, RS PKU Muhammadiyah Bantul Yogyakarta has been designated as a Disaster Preparedness Hospital under the HCPDM (Hospital & Community Preparedness for Disaster Management) program and has actively participated in this international event, ARDEX 2023, by deploying the Field Hospital.
The active involvement of RS PKU Bantul reflects the hospital’s vision as a progressive healthcare institution capable of competing in the global era. The Field Hospital is fully equipped with command tents, triage and emergency room tents, patient care tents, treatment and laboratory tents, mortuary tents, 1 ambulance for logistics, 1 disaster ambulance, 1 trail motorbike ambulance, and a complete team comprising anesthesiologists and disaster specialists, triage physicians, emergency nurses, intensive care nurses, midwives, pharmacists, and medical record surveillance/data personnel.
Furthermore, the Director of RS PKU Muhammadiyah Bantul Dr. Nurcholid Umam mentioned that RS PKU Muhammadiyah Bantul brought equipment such as 1 unit of ventilator, 1 unit of emergency trolley, 30 beds, 20 oxygen concentrators, 1 complete minor operation unit, an internet device, IT equipment, and a complete survival medical kit.
“This active involvement provides an opportunity for the hospital team to gain international experience alongside people from 10 other countries and learn comprehensive disaster management under the coordination of MDMC,” said Dr. Nurcholid Umam.
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