USK sends seven health volunteers to RSUD Komodo after NTT quake

Labuan Bajo — Universitas Syiah Kuala (USK) has deployed a seven-member health team to RSUD Komodo in Labuan Bajo, Manggarai Barat, for a two‑week mission supporting communities affected by the 7.7‑magnitude earthquake that struck East Nusa Tenggara on 15 August 2026, according to USK and local media reports.

USK said the volunteers will reinforce medical services at the public hospital in Labuan Bajo, focusing on trauma care for residents impacted by the quake and its aftereffects. The team’s 14‑day assignment is part of the university’s broader humanitarian response in Manggarai Barat.

According to USK, the group includes one surgical specialist, two orthopedic and traumatology specialists, two nurses, one public‑health epidemiologist and one technical officer from the Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research Center (TDMRC). The mix of clinicians, public‑health expertise and disaster‑risk personnel is intended to strengthen hospital capacity and support post‑disaster recovery in the district.

Mission details at RSUD Komodo

USK stated that the volunteers will provide clinical services at RSUD Komodo, including treatment of trauma injuries, wound care, fractures, dislocations and post‑operative management for patients recovering from surgery. The team is also tasked with conducting needs assessments, epidemiological surveillance and logistical support, while helping build the skills of local health workers through knowledge transfer.

Local public broadcaster RRI reported that the team arrived in Labuan Bajo on Monday, 24 August 2026, at around 18:00 WITA, and immediately coordinated with the Health Emergency Operation Center (HEOC) in Manggarai Barat. Following this coordination, their support was directed specifically to reinforce medical and nursing staff, surveillance activities and technical assistance at RSUD Komodo.

USK and local coverage described the deployment as part of a structured post‑disaster health response in Manggarai Barat, with the university’s medical faculty and TDMRC involved in planning and oversight. The team is scheduled to serve for 14 days in Labuan Bajo, providing both direct patient care and public‑health support.

Funding and community support

In its announcement, USK said its Rumah Amal Masjid Jamik was collecting donations for earthquake victims in East Nusa Tenggara. The university provided a Bank Syariah Indonesia account in the name of Rumah Amal Mesjid Jamik USK and asked donors to use the transfer reference “PEDULI NTT.” The fundraising drive is positioned as a way for the wider USK community and public to support relief efforts alongside the medical mission.

The university did not specify a fundraising target or total funds raised in the statements cited, nor did it detail how long the donation campaign would run.

Earthquake impact in Manggarai Barat

The USK deployment follows the 7.7‑magnitude earthquake that shook Flores and surrounding areas in Nusa Tenggara Timur on Saturday, 15 August 2026. Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported that the quake occurred at a depth of 15 kilometres, with its epicentre around 30 kilometres northeast of Mbay, Nagekeo Regency.

The tsunami early warning issued after the quake was later lifted, but small tsunami waves were recorded at several locations, including Labuan Bajo, where water level increases of up to 0.36 metres were observed. Local media and officials reported damage to homes and public facilities in Manggarai Barat, with patients at RSUD Komodo initially evacuated to outdoor tents as a precaution against aftershocks.

National disaster authorities documented casualties and widespread damage across multiple districts in NTT, with fatalities and injuries reported in Manggarai, Manggarai Timur, Nagekeo, Manggarai Barat and other areas. In Manggarai Barat, hundreds of houses were reported damaged, and local authorities continued assessments in the days after the quake.

Against this backdrop, the USK health team’s two‑week assignment at RSUD Komodo is aimed at bolstering the hospital’s ability to manage trauma cases and ongoing public‑health needs as communities in Manggarai Barat recover from the August earthquake.

Sources

• RRI Banda Aceh / NTT
• Kabar Aktual
• BBC News Indonesia
• Inilah.com
• Investortrust.id
• Universitas Syiah Kuala