Although Constrained by Transportation, Nduga District Health Office Continues to Perform Health Services with Air Health Centers

Although Constrained by Transportation, Nduga District Health Office Continues to Perform Health Services with Air Health Centers

The Health Office or the District Health Office of Nduga Papua, conducts air health center services (Puskesmas) to remote areas in its area, to fulfill the rights of citizens to receive health services.

Transportation constraints and limited health workers, make the local health office rent a small body plane or helicopter to serve residents in various districts that are difficult to reach.

The statement was said by the Head of the Nduga Health Office, Ina Gwijangge in an online discussion "Let's Talk Solution to Healthy Papua Post-COVID-19", Monday (6/29/2020).

He said that the service of the Puskesmas Air was carried out before the Korona pandemic spread to Papua around March 2020.

"Like it or not, we want to rent helicopters and planes [small bodies serving residents in each district] even though the price [rent] is expensive," Ina Gwijangge said.

Once a plane or helicopter rental costs up to tens of millions, according to the distance traveled. The cost of a one-way round-trip aircraft rental to each district ranges from Rp. 18-30 million, and helicopter fares range from Rp. 25-90 million.

In Nduga there are 32 districts, 19 of which can only be reached by airplane, 11 districts are reached by helicopter, and the other two can be accessed by land.

"In the city of Kenyam [the capital city of Nduga, the cost of] charter cars is around Rp. 5 million to Rp. 7 million a day. But if you go to [District] Mbua, around Rp. 15 million. That is if conditions are safe, if an emergency or security situation is bad, [the cost of renting a car] reaches Rp 30 million a day, "he said.