With a population of over 261 million (WHO,2016), the Republic of Indonesia consists of approximately 17,000 islands, located between Asia and Australia. Indonesia is prone to natural disasters, landslide, floods and volcanic eruptions and the tsunami of 26 December 2004 substantially impacted on the health of the affected population. Life expectancy at birth is 67 years for males & 71 years for females (WHO,2016) and the infant mortality rate is 25 per 1000 live births (WHO,2018).
Interplast established a cooperation with the Indonesian Association of Plastic Surgeons (PERAPI) to assist with the training and development of plastic and reconstructive surgery services in Indonesia in 1992. In 2002, an agreement was exchanged with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia to implement this established intention. Since that time Interplast has assisted PERAPI with setting standards, policies, curricular, continuing medical education and training attachments to Australia. Interplast has delivered a number of surgical outreach programs to Balikpapan and Sumbawa and Sumba. In addition to providing much needed access to treatment for local patients, PERAPI uses these opportunities to send its registrars to receive training. Anaesthetic trainees have also joined the Interplast team in Balikpapan.
Interplast has also played a crucial role in providing post-emergency medical care in Indonesia on several occasions, In 2002, following the Bali bombings, the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami in Banda Aceh and following the volcanic eruption of Mount Merapi in Java in 2010. All three occasions were at the request of the Australian Government, and provided medical treatment and support for burns and trauma victims. Support was also sought to strengthen local capacity to manage, treat and rehabilitate those who have suffered serious and life-threatening burns.
In the last financial year Interplast has been working towards finalizing a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indonesian Ministry of Health, in order to resume program activities in Indonesia. In the interim, Interplast has provided a number of training and professional development opportunities for Indonesian surgeons and anaesthetists in Australia.
In the 2019/2020 financial year, Interplast will continue its work with local Indonesian partners to support its activities in Indonesia, based on needs identified by Indonesian partners. Interplast will also continue to support the professional development and training of Indonesian surgeons and anaesthetists through a number of opportunities including attendance at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Annual Scientific Conference and a month-long placement in Ballarat for two Indonesian anaesthetists.
For more details, check our Calendar of Program Activities or get in touch with us!