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Indonesia

MERCY Malaysia sending surgical and medical team to Pariaman, Indonesia to treat earthquake victims

Kuala Lumpur, 3 October 2009 - MERCY Malaysia will deploy a surgical and medical team consisting of an orthopaedic surgeon, a general surgeon, an anaesthetist, general practitioners (GPs) and nurses to treat the earthquake victims in and around Pariaman which is located some 80 km north of Padang, Sumatra.

After initial assessments conducted by MERCY Malaysia's team, it was found that Pariaman (population 600,000), is the second-worst hit area and is in need of medical and relief assistance.

The surgical team will be working in Pariaman Hospital to treat patients with severe quake-related injuries. The medical team, in the meantime, will perform triaging and treatment of post-disaster injuries and ailments and identify patients in need of hospitalisation. They will also address primary healthcare needs to the quake-affected rural population.

The team will bring along with them surgical sets and primary healthcare kits worth a total of RM 100,000.

"MERCY Malaysia will need at least RM 3 million to provide humanitarian assistance to the earthquake victims in Indonesia. Therefore, we are appealing to the public to donate so we can continue to provide the needed assistance," said MERCY Malaysia President Dr. Ahmad Faizal Perdaus

"We are also calling for specialised medical volunteers such as orthopaedic surgeons, general surgeons, anaesthetists and OT nurses to notify us if they are available to assist us in a span of at least two weeks," he said.

"We will also look into providing emergency relief items to control the rising number of post-disaster ailments," Dr. Faizal added.

The surgical team will be leaving for Padang on 4 October 2009 and the medical team will leave in the morning of 5 October 2009, both via Air Asia. The flight tickets and baggage fees are fully sponsored by Air Asia as part of the airline's effort to provide assistance to the earthquake victims.

Last Thursday, MERCY Malaysia immediately deployed an assessment team less than 24 hours after the earthquake hit the capital city Sumatra.

Concerned individuals and organisations can donate to the MERCY Malaysia Humanitarian Fund through MAYBANK (account name: MERCY HUMANITARIAN FUND, account number : 5621-7950-4126, ABA Swift Code: MBBEMYKLA) or CIMB Bank (account name: MERCY Malaysia, account number: 1424-000-6561053, ABA Swift Code: CIBBMYKL).

For more information, please contact Hana Kamaruddin (Media) at +6019-3140420, G.Anuradha (Fundraising) at +6019-2215759, Noor Hayati (Volunteers) at +60193116196 or Mohd Radzi (Volunteers) at +60193140689. Alternatively, please contact 03-22733999 or visit www.mercy.org.my