Gov't ensures medicine supplies for E Nusa Tenggara quake survivors

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) has assured the public that medicine supplies for residents affected by the earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) are sufficient to meet their needs for the next five days.

“The government continues to send medicine supplies, and I can assure you that supplies are currently sufficient for the next five days,” Head of the Ministry of Health’s Disaster Task Force Sumarjaya said during a joint press conference with the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) here on Wednesday.

Sumarjaya said the relevant authorities were ready to mobilize medicine supplies from the central government to disaster-affected areas.

According to Sumarjaya, the ministry has established health clusters under the health offices of eight districts and municipalities, as well as under the NTT Provincial Health Office.

“We are also first collecting data on the number of victims, including how many suffered serious injuries and where evacuation sites are located, to provide optimal services to the public,” he said.

The ministry is also working with the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) to identify community health centers that have been severely affected and are difficult to reach, including a community health center in Lamba Leda District, Manggarai District, and Dampek Community Health Center in East Manggarai District.

“The areas around these two community health centers are very difficult to reach. Therefore, we are sending emergency medical teams to provide services there and evacuate people who need to be referred to hospitals,” he added.

The BNPB reported that the earthquake death toll in East Nusa Tenggara had risen by one to 71 as of Wednesday, with the deaths recorded between Aug. 15 and 19, 2026.

“The latest victim was recorded in Nagekeo District. On behalf of the government, we extend our condolences to the victim’s family. We also continue to ensure that assistance is distributed to people currently staying at evacuation sites and in affected areas,” Acting Head of the BNPB Data, Information, and Disaster Communication Center Berton SP Panjaitan said.

Berton urged survivors in NTT to remain calm, assuring them that the government was continuing to meet the basic needs of residents affected by the earthquake.

According to BNPB data, as of Tuesday (Aug. 18), at least 165 tons of logistical assistance had been transported by air, while a total of 398 tons of aid had been delivered between Aug. 15 and 18, 2026.

Aid was also continuing to be transported by land, which remained the main mode of distribution.

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