Summary: Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki in East Flores District, East Nusa Tenggara Province (NTT), Indonesia, erupted on Monday, November 4, 2024. At least nine people died, dozens more were injured, and several buildings burned due to ‘material rain’ from the eruption. Referring to data from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), the local government has declared a two-month emergency response status from November 4 to December 31, 2024. Earlier this year, the consultant from the Center for Health Policy and Management, University of Gadjah Mada (CHPM UGM), visited NTT Province several times to assist the NTT Provincial Health Office (PHO) in developing a health contingency/preparedness plan. The impact applied in the Eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki disaster response operation This field report was written using an observational descriptive approach. The authors were part of a team of consultants who assisted in building health capacity for disaster management. The best practices and lessons learned are documented as part of academia’s role in assisting the Ministry of Health in building the capacity of NTT PHO, so they are ready with a health contingency plan before a disaster strikes. During the early stage of response operations, the Health Emergency Operation Centre (HEOC) was activated with a solid organizational structure established, rapid health risk assessment (RRA) conducted, and integrally involving the sub-subclusters under the health cluster. Moreover, a response map was developed in the early stage of response, as well as a health cluster coordination meeting. Due to the efficient management of the existing health capacity, an EMT-CC has not yet been established, as no non-EMT personnel are required from outside the province. Furthermore, the NTT Province is an archipelago-type province; the capacity building provided by CHPM-UGM will help them determine where to establish the EMT-CC based on the response map and RRA results.
Yogadhita et al. (Sun,) studied this question.