The group of eight volunteers, who were invited to Padang by Indonesian officials, will stay in Indonesia for two weeks and provide health services. Stating that the doctors will take half a ton of medication with them, the chairman of USEDER's board of directors, Dr. Saim Şendil, said a number of doctors from various provinces had applied to the association to volunteer in Indonesia. The Health Ministry had only allowed eight doctors to go to the region, and although they had planned to go earlier, they were delayed by bureaucratic procedures required by Turkey, Şendil said. He also said USEDER extends a helping hand to victims in all parts of the world and described USEDER's recent activities in Afghanistan, where the association provided medical screenings as well as training programs. He also said they plan to organize a mass circumcision ceremony in Indonesia in November.
Dr. Mehmet Ali Çıkrıkçı, one of the volunteer doctors, says he is very happy to be a part of this activity. “We could not remain unconcerned about the victims' pain. Our profession does not allow this,” he said. Noting that Indonesia and Turkey have a long history of strong ties, another doctor, Volkan Şensoy, said: “We decided that we had to go there in accordance with the principles of our profession and our values.”
Dr. Cem Bayraktar, who could not join the team due to visa problems, said he was very disappointed to hear that he could not go.
