PRESS RELEASE For immediate release Minister George Yeo hands over Meulaboh General Hospital to Indonesian Authorities in Aceh Singapore, 2 July 2010 – Singapore-Indonesia bilateral ties were further cemented when Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr George Yeo handed over the S$12 million Meulaboh General Hospital to the Indonesian health authorities in a ceremony attended by 500 guests in West Aceh today. The Meulaboh General Hospital is a collaborative effort by the Singapore Red Cross (SRC), Temasek Holdings and the Government of Singapore. As it is the main referral hospital serving a population of more than 200,000 in South and West Aceh, the community hospital remained operational throughout the construction. Rebuilt and refurbished at its original site spanning two hectares, the 146-bed Meulaboh General Hospital will be staffed by 400 healthcare professionals. The enhanced facilities and increased capacity will meet the growing needs of Acehnese for quality healthcare. (Refer to Annex B) The handover of the Meulaboh General Hospital marks the closure of the Tidal Waves Asia Fund, which SRC and its Tsunami Reconstruction Facilitation Committee (TRFC) have managed since January 2005. To date, close to 70 projects on healthcare, education, housing and community, and economic recovery and livelihood have been successfully implemented in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. (Refer to Annex C) Mr Tee Tua Ba, Chairman of the Singapore Red Cross led the Singapore entourage comprising SRC project teams and the Singapore media, to Meulaboh yesterday. The group also visited other Singapore funded projects. They included the Meulaboh Pier (a G2G project), a kindergarten, orphanages as well as housing, water supply and sanitation facilities. These projects are the joint efforts of the Singapore Government and Singapore-based NGOs/VWOs, namely Habitat for Humanity, Mercy Relief, World Toilet Organisation, WISH and the SRC. Mr Tee enthused, “It’s been more than five years since the initiation of our first project. I believe we have not only brought the survivors hope and comfort, but also given them the opportunity to improve their lives and livelihoods. Our partnership with other Singapore NGOs and VWOs in these projects makes the Tidal Waves Asia Fund a truly Team Singapore undertaking.” For more information or for high-resolution photos of the event, please contact representatives of the Singapore Red Cross Corporate Communications: Ms Carol Teo +65 6336 0269 x 272 / 9732 8052 [email protected] Ms Eileen Cher +65 6336 0269 x 273 / 9711 0409 [email protected] Red Cross House, 15 Penang Lane, Singapore 238486 Tel: (65) 6336 -0269 Fax: (65) 6337 -4360 ANNEX A Handover Ceremony of Meulaboh General Hospital (RSUD Cut Nyak Dhien) On Friday, 2 July 2010 in West Aceh, Indonesia Programme 0900 - 0910 Arrival of VIPs and Guests 0910 - 0920 Welcome Dance 0920 - 0935 Speech by Bupati of Aceh Barat 0935 - 0950 Speech by Governor of Aceh 0950 - 1005 Speech by Secretary General of Palang Merah Indonesia (Indonesian Red Cross) 1005 - 1020 Speech by Chairman of Singapore Red Cross 1020 - 1035 Speech by Representative of Ministry of Health (Indonesia) 1035 - 1050 Speech by Minister for Foreign Affairs (Singapore) 1050 - 1055 Presentation of Plaques 1055 – 1100 Prayer and Blessing 1100 – 1110 Ribbon Cutting 1110 – 1130 Tour of Meulaboh General Hospital 1130 – 1230 Lunch hosted by Hospital Management BEYOND THE TSUNAMI: BUILDING COMMUNITIES, TOUCHING LIVES FACT SHEET (ANNEX B) Meulaboh General Hospital (Local name: RSUD Cut Nyak Dhien) Meulaboh General Hospital is the main referral hospital in the coastal town of Meulaboh. The capital of West Aceh Regency, Indonesia was among the hardest hit areas by the 2004 Tsunami. Rebuilt at a cost of S$12 million (or Rp80 billion) and spanning two hectares, the Meulaboh General Hospital will provide quality healthcare for the Acehnese, with its enhanced facilities and increased capacity: • 146 beds across six wards (originally 105 beds across 2 wards) • two operating theatres • staffed by 400 healthcare professionals • supported by 26 ambulances and 4 motorcycles Its structural design can withstand seismic forces to ensure the safety of key buildings in the event of an earthquake. Eighteen blocks were rebuilt and refurbished in three phases over two years and nine months. They include: • Administration • Blood Bank • Medical Records • Central Sterile Supply Department • Pharmacy (CSSD) • Accident & Emergency (A&E) • Outpatient clinics • Radiology • Material Management • Operation Theatres • Housekeeping • Intensive Care Unit (ICU) • Mortuary • General Ward, Class A Ward • Kitchen • Paediatrics • Canteen • Obstetrics and Gynaecology • Surau (prayer room) • Clinical Lab • Sewerage treatment plant • Collaborative effort by the Singapore Government, Singapore Red Cross and Temasek Holdings • Jointly funded by the People of Singapore (through the Tidal Waves Fund), Singapore Government and Temasek Holdings • Designed and Built by Akitek Tenggara, Antara Koh Pte Ltd and PT Waskita Karya • Furnished and Equipped by the Local Authorities Address: RSUD Cut Nyak Dhien Hospital (Meulaboh General Hospital) Jalan Gajah Mada, Desa Drien Rampak, Kecamatan Johan Pahlawan, Meulaboh Aceh-Barat (West Aceh), Indonesia Background The tsunami left a trail of destruction with a death toll of 40,000 and widespread damage to infrastructure in Meulaboh. The coastal line was completely destroyed - all roads and bridges, including those connecting Meulaboh to the city of Medan and the city of Banda Aceh, were severely damaged or made impassable. Overnight, Meulaboh became an isolated city. The Singapore Armed Forces was the first to provide foreign humanitarian aid in Meulaboh. That was swiftly replaced by Singapore NGOs, and plans were made to transition from emergency relief to recovery. The Singapore Government, Singapore Red Cross and Temasek Holdings contributed to the construction of a pier amongst other projects, which paved the way for aid to pour into Meulaboh and Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD). The assessment was that coastal roads would take many more months to be rebuilt, and the sea was the only alternate means of transportation for economy recovery. The pier thus played a strategic role in transporting building materials and supplies for the recovery and reconstruction process. Singapore NGOs managed repair and renovation works for orphanages, schools and other communal facilities. Though badly damaged, the Meulaboh General Hospital continued to operate under make-shift conditions as it was the referral hospital in the region. The repair and refurbishment of the Meulaboh General Hospital was thus a high priority, undertaken by Singapore. BEYOND THE TSUNAMI: BUILDING COMMUNITIES, TOUCHING LIVES FACTSHEET (ANNEX C) Tidal Waves Asia Fund The Singapore Red Cross established the Tidal Waves Asia Fund (TWAF) as the designated fund to help provide humanitarian relief and rehabilitation to the survivors of the 2004 Tsunami Disaster. The government and people of Singapore contributed close to S$89 million (or Rp 572 billion) to the Tidal Waves Asia Fund, of which S$4.23 million was used during the emergency phase, to provide relief assistance and to deploy medical teams to Aceh and Sri Lanka. The remaining funds were managed by the Tsunami Reconstruction Facilitation Committee (TRFC). The TRFC is chaired by the Chairman of the Singapore Red Cross, and is responsible for ensuring that the funds are effectively and efficiently used. The remaining amount has been allocated for the 69 projects by Singapore-based NGOs and VWOs towards the reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts in Indonesia, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, with a focus on long-term sustainability, in the following areas: • Healthcare • Education • Housing and Community • Economic Recovery and Livelihood Some examples of these projects include the design and construction of the Meulaboh Pier, 1,700 houses in Aceh by Habitat for Humanity Singapore, houses and a community centre in Sri Lanka by Singapore Sinhala Association, schools in Sri Lanka and the Maldives in partnership with the Singaporean Government, and an agriventure centre in Nias Island by Evangelical Fellowship of Singapore. Visit http://www.redcross.org.sg/approved-projects.phtml for the full list of projects funded by the TWAF. For an illustration of Singapore’s efforts in the 2004 Tsunami, please refer to the book ‘Beyond the Tsunami: Rebuilding Communities, Touching Lives,’ available at the Red Cross House at 15 Penang Lane, Singapore 238486 (Tel +65 6336 0269). .