Cases Surge, Referral Hospitals Added

As the number of COVID-19 cases surged, the government increased the capacity of referral hospitals and laboratories. The role of all parties is expected to help Indonesia overcome this disease.

Kompas/Priyombodo

Covid-19 Hand sanitizing liquid is bottled according to World Health Organization recommendations at the School of Pharmacy, University of Indonesia, Depok, West Java, on Wednesday (18/3/2020). The School of Pharmacy produces 500 liters of hand sanitizer per day to be used on the campus, including in the University of Indonesia hospital.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS -- The increasing number Covid-19 infections in Indonesia has led the government to intensify coordination to overcome the disease caused by the new coronavirus. To speed up the detection and treatment of patients, the government increased the capacity of referral hospitals and laboratories and plans to conduct rapid tests.

The government spokesman for coronavirus affairs, Achmad Yurianto, said a number of private-run hospitals were involved to serve COVID-19 patients. For example, Siloam Hospital in Kelapa Dua, Tangerang, Banten; Mitra Keluarga Hospital in Jatiasih, Bekasi, West Java; and Hermina Hospital in Karawang, also in West Java.

"These three hospitals will dedicate all their beds to treat COVID-19 patients, totaling 300 beds," he said in Jakarta on Wednesday (18/3/2020).

This method has been carried out in other countries.

Thus, the number of referral hospitals for COVID-19 is now 375 hospitals. That includes 132 government hospitals appointed based on the Health Minister\'s decision, 103 hospitals owned by the Indonesian Military (TNI), 39 hospitals owned by the National Police, 33 additional hospitals in East Java, 45 additional hospitals in Central Java and 20 hospitals owned by Muslim mass organization Muhammadiyah.

The government also added laboratories for COVID-19-related specimen tests. In addition to the Health Ministry-run Health Research and Development Agency (Balitbangkes) laboratory and 12 designated network laboratories, tests can also be carried out at the laboratory network of the Siloam Hospitals Group, the laboratory of the Kalbe Group and the laboratory of the Bunda Hospital Group.

Also read : Regions Need More Covid-19 Testers

The government also plans to use the rapid test method for COVID-19. "This method has been carried out in other countries," Yuri said.

KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

Residents use new hand washing facilities provided by the Surabaya city government on Jl. Polici Istimewa, Surabaya city, East Java, on Wednesday (18/3/2020). To help curb the spread of COVID-19, the city government implements mass disinfectant spraying and provides hand washing points at a number of strategic places.

As of Wednesday at 12 p.m., there were 227 positive cases of COVID-19 in Indonesia, 19 deaths and 11 patients recovered.

The people that died of COVID-19 were in Banten (one case), Jakarta (12 cases), West Java (one case), Central Java (two cases), East Java (one case), Bali (one case) and North Sumatra (one case).

According to State-Owned Enterprises Deputy Minister Kartika Wirjoatmodjo, the government will utilize state-owned company assets to add facilities for COVID-19 treatment. Four hospitals and one hotel will be converted into facilities specifically to treat COVID-19 patients.

Also read : Budget Reallocation to Focus on Covid-19

Medical equipment, such as test kits, masks and personal protective equipment, will be added. Through PT Rajawali Nusantara Indonesia (RNI), the SOE Ministry will order 500,000 test kits from China and await permission from the Health Ministry.

KOMPAS/HARIS FIRDAUS

An officer works in a laboratory owned by the Yogyakarta Center for Environmental Health and Disease Control Engineering in Bantul regency, Yogyakarta. The laboratory is used to examine blood samples of people suspected of being infected by the COVID-19 coronavirus in Yogyakarta and Central Java.

Unite

Covid-19 rapid-response task force head Doni Monardo called on all citizens to unite against Covid-19. The role of leaders in all levels of society must be optimized, starting from the regional heads at the province, regency or city, village levels to the community unit (RW) and neighborhood unit (RT).

Indonesian Doctors Association chairman Daeng M Faqih added that security forces and government officials must also monitor social restrictions, including patients who carry out quarantine at home.

"We expect [the authorities] to reveal the data of patients to the health facilities that treat them. The data of people [positive for Covid-19] that are not revealed quickly makes it difficult for us to track contacts and localize the spread of infection," he said.

Persahabatan Hospital president director Rita Rogayah said the hospital had set up a tent to serve Covid-19 patients. A total of 23 patients are now treated at isolation rooms that have 24 beds.

"We set up a tent so that patients under surveillance are not in the same room with patients of other illnesses," he said.

KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO

A cyclist wears a mask while walking his bike along Jl. Malioboro, Yogyakarta, on Wednesday (18/3/2020). The mainstay tourist area of Yogyakarta is quieter than normal because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

A number of hospitals also ran out of personal protective equipment and the tubes to put samples from a throat swab test so, for now, they cannot take patient samples. At Soeselo Hospital in Tegal regency, Central Java, the tubes for swab test samples ran out so two patients who have been isolated since Monday have not yet had a throat swab test.

Meanwhile, some government-appointed laboratories are ready to test patient samples. The Yogyakarta Center for Environmental Health Engineering and Disease Control has received 84 samples. The Papua Health Research and Development Center is ready to test 100 samples.

The Medical Faculty of the University of Indonesia (FKUI) has mobilized all facilities and medical personnel to accelerate the testing of the new coronavirus. The FKUI laboratory is targeted to be able to test 100 specimens of COVID-19 each day. Some universities are also ready to test COVID-19 test samples, such as Hasanuddin University in Makassar and Andalas University in Padang, West Sumatra. (KOMPAS TEAM)