Indonesia

The Tsunami - Aceh

The MENTOR Initiative’s Indonesian programme began as an epidemic prevention response to the 2004 tsunami. Along with the incredible loss of life and infrastructure, the tsunami left in its wake the threat of a massive vector-borne disease epidemic: a large displaced population, pools of brackish water, and a crippled healthcare system.

Through the training and equipping of over two hundred dedicated staff members, the MENTOR Initiative, with the support of DFID, launched the largest emergency malaria and dengue prevention and treatment campaign ever undertaken. Through the distribution of Insecticide Treated Plastic Sheeting (ITPS) as both emergency shelter and vector control as well as the spraying of many thousands of homes with Indoor Residual Spray (IRS), MENTOR protected over 600,000 people and ensured access to treatment for over one million tsunami affected people.

As the emergency in Aceh ended and the long-term effects of both the tsunami and a thirty year civil conflict became apparent, MENTOR, in partnership with AmeriCares, launched a follow-up programme designed to rebuild and strengthen the provincial health care systems and infrastructure. The programme facilitated the development of long term, sustainable malaria and dengue fever prevention and control capacities. Built on the principles of heightened disease surveillance, prevention, diagnosis and treatment, MENTOR employed a team of programme professionals to train and equip local and international partners with the skills and equipment necessary to combat these diseases.

In January 2009, AmeriCares provided additional support to The MENTOR Initiative for a ninemonth programme aimed at consolidating effective malaria and dengue fever control services in areas most at risk for outbreaks of these diseases. Nine districts were identified through epidemiological surveillance data: Banda Aceh, Aceh Jaya, Aceh Utara, Aceh Besar, Aceh Barat, Sabang, Simeulue, Lhokseumawe, and Nagan Raya. The programme’s objective was to build the capacity at both the district level (through training of district supervisors and TOT) and community level through training of kaders, village leaders and teachers on vector control and other prevention activities.