Jakarta, Dec. 16 -- Indonesia will deploy hundreds of medical workers to disaster-hit areas of Sumatra after floods and landslides overwhelmed local health services, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin told President Prabowo Subianto on Monday.

Budi said 600 health workers, including general practitioners, medical specialists, medical interns and nurses, would be sent to affected districts in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra. Of that total, 450 personnel are ready for immediate deployment this week.

"The first batch will total 600 people, with 450 prepared to leave this week," Budi said during a plenary cabinet meeting at the presidential palace in Jakarta, according to a statement released by the presidential secretariat on Tuesday...