Indonesia Builds New Hospital in Rakhine State
Jakarta. Indonesia on Sunday (19/11) began construction on a new hospital in Myaung Bwe in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a statement.
Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi was scheduled to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for the hospital, but had to cancel her trip due to security reasons.
"The Myanmar government was unable to provide optimum security on the occasion of an official visit by a minister at this time due to most of Myanmar’s security forces being deployed to secure the ASEM Summit in Naypyidaw," the statement said.
The hospital is part of Indonesia’s humanitarian assistance and inclusive development support for Myanmar.
In 2014, the Indonesian government spent $1 million to build four schools in the area. Last December, Indonesia delivered 10 freight containers filled with basic amenities for displaced people in the region.
"The hospital will provide health services for communities in Myaung Bwe under the principle of inclusivity, and will not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, religion or background," the statement also said.
The hospital will cost around $1.8 million to build. The money comes from a partnership between the Indonesian government and public donations, including from the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) and the private sector.
The Ministry said the hospital will be built using locally-sourced materials and will employ local workers "as a concrete support from Indonesia to increase economic opportunities of the local communities and foster a sense of ownership toward the hospital."
The new hospital is set to be completed by mid-2018.
Indonesia was the first country allowed to enter Rakhine State to deliver humanitarian aid after a violent clash between the Rohingya minority and the Myanmar military on Aug. 25 that forced around 600,000 Rohingyas to cross the border with Bangladesh to seek refuge.
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