The ASEAN Journal of Military and Preventive Medicine
Vol. 3 No. 2 (2026): July

Medical Cadets as Force Multipliers: Operational Readiness from the Sumatra Disaster Relief Task Force

Angki Perdiyana (Faculty of Military Medicine of The Republic of Indonesia Defense University)
AJ Didy Surachman (Faculty of Military Medicine of The Republic of Indonesia Defense University)



Article Info

Publish Date
29 Jul 2026

Abstract

Background: As an archipelagic territory highly vulnerable to severe weather anomalies, Indonesia requires prompt multi-sectoral deployment and flexible civil-military medical protocols to mitigate post-disaster health crises; hence, this study evaluates the operational integration, health service support, and health risks of military medical cadets serving in the Sumatra Disaster Relief Task Force. Methods: This study utilizing a descriptive field report with a narrative review component of disaster healthcare guidelines from 2016–2026, this research evaluated operational logbooks spanning November 30 to December 17, 2025. Results: The mission successfully achieved five strategic milestones, including logistical readiness, shipboard surgical assistance, management of an internal Typhoid Fever case, evacuation recovery, and multi-sectoral water purification installations. Frontline operations in Aceh Tamiang managed a high-throughput volume of 586 acute civilian cases over two days (n=305 on December 16; n=281 on December 17), where waterborne gastroenteritis, post-flood infectious dermopathy, and neglected chronic pathologies represented the primary clinical burden. Conclusion: Ultimately, deploying supervised senior military medical student volunteers functions as a vital mechanism to reinforce overloaded health infrastructures, though sustaining operational durability strictly depends on mandatory pre-deployment vaccinations, clear boundaries of practice, and rigid compliance with Incident Command Systems.

Copyrights © 2026






Journal Info

Abbrev

ojs

Publisher

Subject

Description

The ASEAN Journal of Military and Preventive Medicine is an open-access, peer-reviewed scientific journal dedicated to advancing knowledge and innovation in the fields of military medicine, preventive medicine, biodefense, emergency medicine, disaster response, humanitarian health, and global public ...