The Indonesian government will send 40 doctors to help thousands of victims of Hurricane Katrina in the United States, a senior official has said.
"We are still waiting for the green light from the US government about when exactly the Indonesian medical workers can depart for the US," Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Alwi Shihab said on Saturday night.
Alwi said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had told him to send any assistance Indonesia can afford to provide to help alleviate the sufferings of the victims of Hurricane Katrina, Antara news agency reported on Sunday.
"President Yudhoyono has expressed sympathy and condolences to the US government and people over the thousands of victims in Hurricane Katrina," Alwi said.
Alwi expressed hope that the US government would accept assistance from the Indonesian government and people.
Hurricane Katrina is believed to have killed hundreds of people in Louisiana and Mississippi when it struck the Gulf Coast with 225 kph winds and a 9-meter wall of water that inundated a wide swath of US coastline.