Wahyoe Boediwardhana, Surabaya – The Navy took possession of the second of three hospital ships, the KRI Dr Rajiman Wedyodiningrat-992 in Surabaya, East Java, on Monday, after it was handed over by the state-owned shipbuilder PT PAL.

The ship, worth Rp 764 billion (US$52.7 million), will be used to assist during natural disasters, said Navy chief of staff Adm. Yudo Margono after a ceremony at PT PAL's graving dock.

"This hospital ship will be ready to serve during an earthquake disaster for example. It has complete health facilities, including operating theater, CT-scan, x-ray and isolation rooms for COVID-19 patients," Yudo said.

The ship will have a general polyclinic, emergency room, in-patient facilities that can accommodate up to 159 patients. The ship will carry 163 crew members and 63 health workers.

The ship is named after one of the chairmen of nationalist youth organization Budi Utomo, who also became a member of the Agency for the Preparatory Work for Indonesian Independence (BPUPKI) – which formulated Pancasila as the basic ideology of Indonesia in 1945.

It is the second of three hospital ships ordered by the Navy. In January, PT PAL handed over hospital ship KRI Dr Wahidin Sudirohusodo-991 to the Navy. (dre)

Source: https://www.thejakartapost.com/indonesia/2022/08/17/navy-gets-new-hospital-ship.htm