The Salvation Army in Indonesia is preparing to send more medical staff to the earthquake-affected regions of Java. Personnel from Salvation Army-run hospitals are to be sent to Java where people have been dying needlessly because a lack of medical staff means they are not receiving treatment.

Salvation Army 'Compassion in Action' teams are already hard at work providing medical assistance and comfort to survivors. The teams were among the first to respond to the needs of the injured in the Sawahan and Wedi areas and are also currently at work in Gantiwarno and Tembi.

Major Jones Kasaedja, Social Services Secretary for The Salvation Army in Indonesia, says: 'There is deep sadness as we encounter injured people desperate for treatment, and this is compelling our teams to work quickly and effectively.'

As the official death toll from last week's devastating earthquake rises past the 5,400 mark, the Indonesian Government and United Nations are calling for more help.