Nineteen primary health centres still not fully operating after Flores quake

Labuan Bajo — — Nineteen primary health centres in Flores had yet to resume full operations in the weeks after the mid-August earthquake and tsunami, according to Indonesia’s Ministry of Health and the national disaster agency.

The Ministry of Health reported that out of 169 puskesmas in seven affected regencies, 101 were operating normally, 49 were providing limited services and 19 had not yet returned to full service as of 26 August 2026, according to figures cited by Kontan and reiterated in official briefings reported by NU Online and other outlets.

Earlier assessments from the ministry and local officials put the total number of puskesmas in Flores at 190, with 122 facilities operating normally, 49 operating partially and 19 not operating because of severe damage, according to reports from Flores Pos, Kontan and Detik citing the Deputy Health Minister.

Facilities damaged, services moved outside

Damage to health facilities was widespread. The Deputy Health Minister told reporters that 19 puskesmas had suffered severe damage and were unable to operate, while dozens more had moderate or light damage but could still provide some services, according to coverage by Flores Pos and Detik.

Hospital buildings were also affected. Local situation reports compiled by the Indonesia Humanitarian and Community Preparedness (IHCP) network, drawing on the Ministry of Health and the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), noted that several hospitals in Manggarai and neighbouring regencies moved patient care into outdoor areas such as courtyards or corridors while structural assessments and emergency repairs were under way.

The national disaster agency responded by installing temporary structures. BNPB reported the deployment of 122 tents in front of puskesmas to support health services, and national media quoting BNPB chief Suharyanto reported that these tents were intended to reassure residents and staff who feared aftershocks despite some buildings remaining structurally usable.

Field hospitals were also mobilised. IHCP situation bulletins and BNPB briefings described the establishment of a field hospital in Ruteng, as well as support from a floating hospital ship and additional temporary facilities to backstop damaged hospitals in Flores.

Reported health needs in evacuation centres

Ministry of Health situation reports for the period after the 15 August earthquake recorded thousands of consultations in evacuation centres and temporary clinics. According to IHCP’s synthesis of the ministry’s data as of 24 August, the most commonly reported complaints were respiratory infections, with nearly 6,000 recorded cases across several regencies.

Other frequently recorded conditions included hypertension, trauma injuries, diarrhoea and muscle pain. Health authorities also noted dozens of animal-bite cases with potential rabies risk in Nagekeo, Ngada and East Manggarai, according to IHCP reporting based on the ministry’s emergency health cluster dashboard.

Staff and supplies deployed

To sustain services, the Ministry of Health reported sending reserve medical staff to Flores and registering hundreds of health workers from different organisations in the emergency health cluster, according to IHCP documentation. National media quoting ministry officials reported that deployed supplies included field-hospital tents, emergency medical kits, oxygen concentrators and essential medicines.

BNPB and the health cluster also coordinated the use of a floating hospital ship and field hospitals to support damaged facilities. National media reports quoting BNPB stated that the disaster agency’s logistics and health teams were working from coordination posts in Labuan Bajo and Maumere to distribute supplies and staff to affected regencies.

Death toll and phase of response

By 26 August 2026, BNPB chief Suharyanto told President Prabowo Subianto that the disaster had left 105 people dead and 1,678 injured, with more than 179,000 people still displaced, according to reports by Bisnis.com and Espos summarising the briefing.

BNPB and IHCP situation reports indicate that, by late August, the response was shifting from search-and-rescue towards a combined emergency care and early recovery phase. While most primary health centres had resumed at least limited services, nearly 70 of the 169 puskesmas in the seven worst-affected regencies were still either closed or operating only partially, leaving temporary tents, outdoor hospital services and field hospitals as key points of access for residents and visitors in the affected areas.

Sources

• Kontan - Layanan Kesehatan Pascagempa Flores Masih Terganggu, 19 Puskesmas Belum Beroperasi
• IDN Times NTB - Gempa Flores: BNPB Catat 7.297 Gempa Susulan
• Espos - 105 Orang Meninggal Dunia, 179.037 Warga Mengungsi akibat Gempa Flores
• IHCP Indonesia - Laporan Situasi #6 Gempabumi dan Tsunami di Flores dan Sekitarnya
• Flores Pos - Dampak Gempa Flores Wamenkes Sebut 19 Puskesmas Rusak Berat dan Tidak Beroperasi
• NU Online - BNPB Ungkap 4 Kendala Utama Penanganan Gempa NTT 2026