RRI


 

 
The Japanese government has donated an ambulance to the Bunda Hati Kudus Primary Clinic in Karang Indah, Merauke Subdistrict, South Papua. The vehicle was provided through Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects and officially handed over on Monday, September 15, 2025.

Tetsuhashi Masashi, First Secretary at the Japanese Embassy in Indonesia, attended the handover ceremony on behalf of the Japanese government. The project agreement was signed in November 2023 between the embassy and the Bunda Hati Kudus Merauke Foundation, and has now been successfully completed.

Previously, the clinic used a standard vehicle to conduct home visits and emergency medical evacuations in three neighboring villages, as public transportation in Merauke remains inadequate. However, poor road conditions made it difficult to reach other nearby communities.

To overcome these challenges, the foundation utilized approximately IDR 600 million (around USD 37,000) from the Japanese grant to purchase a Japanese-made ambulance capable of navigating damaged roads.

With the new ambulance, the clinic can now serve more than 500 patients annually, primarily residents of nine villages, marking a 3.5-fold increase in its outreach capacity. The donation has significantly improved access to healthcare services for communities in the region.