$25m from Australian Govt for Indian Ocean Disaster Victims

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 02 Jan 2005 - 9:00 PDT


As new information provides a clearer picture of the full extent of the Indian Ocean disaster Australia will continue to increase its support for the international relief effort.

The enormity of this tragedy continues to grow. In Indonesia, estimates place the number of dead at 80,000 and the number of people who have lost their homes at more than one million. There are also reports of disease affecting significant numbers of survivors.

The Australian Government will contribute a further $25 million, which brings our total contribution to $60 million. This funding will support immediate action to deal with urgent public health concerns, including disease control, access to clean water and basic medicines.

The greater part of the additional funds will be used for relief operations in Indonesia 's devastated Aceh province. There is also an allocation for Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The new funding will be allocated as follows:

Indonesia: urgent public health measures focusing on preventative health and water and sanitation. This funding will also support deployment of Australian health workers, water supply and sanitation technicians and equipment - $7,500,000

Indonesia: supporting international organisations such as UNICEF, WHO and IOM, as well as local Islamic and women's organisation. Funds will be used for food and shelter, preventing and controlling communicable diseases and handling displaced persons - $7,500,00

Indonesia: to fund logistics support in isolated areas, for example by small aircraft and boats, including through IOM and the World Food Programme (WFP) - $5 million

Sri Lanka and the Maldives : support work by international agencies and local organisations to address urgent public health needs - $5 million

This is a statement by Minister For Foreign Affairs
Alexander Downer

Media inquiries:
Chris Kenny (Mr Downer's office) 0419 206 890
AusAID Public Affairs 0417 680 590

http://www.ausaid.gov.au/media/release.cfm?BC=Media&Id=7965_8744_3763_6893_5708
© Commonwealth of Australia

• Additional
• References
• Citations