The Safety of Health Workers is Crucial

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO

People wear face masks as they shop at Bengkok Market in Tangerang municipality, Banten, on Friday (17/4/2020). The area of Tangerang, which consists of Tangerang regency, Tangerang municipality and South Tangerang municipality, will implement large-scale social restrictions starting Saturday for 14 days to break the transmission of Covid-19. The measure follows similar policies in Jakarta, Bekasi, Depok and Bogor. Greater Jakarta is the epicenter of Covid-19 in Indonesia.

Health workers, especially doctors and nurses, are on the front line of the COVID-19 outbreak. A lack of protection makes them vulnerable to getting infected by the coronavirus.

SEMARANG, KOMPAS — Protective equipment for health workers is very crucial because they are vulnerable to getting infected by the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. In fact, health workers are on the front line in overcoming this pandemic.

The importance of protecting medical personnel was highlighted when a number of health workers at Dr. Kariadi public hospital in Semarang, Central Java, contracted COVID-19. A total of 30 doctors at the hospital tested positive for COVID-19. Most of them are surgeons who are suspected of being infected by the patients they operated on.

The director of Dr. Kariadi hospital, Agus Suryanto, when answering reporters\' questions via video recording on Friday (4/17/2020), explained that the 30 doctors who tested positive for COVID-19 based on examination results on Tuesday (4/14) consisted of six specialist doctors and 24 specialist doctors under education programs (PPDS). They also included two physiotherapists, one nurse and one administrative staff member. So, a total of 34 employees at the hospital tested positive for Covid-19.

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With the new cases, since the end of January, the number of employees of Dr. Kariadi hospital who have contracted COVID-19 has reached 57 people. Some of them have recovered.

According to Agus, the 15 specialist doctors under PPDS programs and four neurosurgeons were infected by a neurosurgery patient. "It turned out, the patient\'s parents tested positive based on serological examinations in other areas. So, the identification was late,” he said.

The five other specialist doctors for obstetrics or gynecology under the PPDS program were infected when handling a pregnant woman who gave birth through surgery. The woman was later known to have tested positive for COVID-19.

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO

Posters featuring information about large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) are installed on Jl. Perintis Kemerdekaan, Tangerang municipality, Banten, on Friday (17/4/2020). The area of Tangerang, which consists of Tangerang regency, Tangerang municipality and South Tangerang municipality, will implement large-scale social restrictions starting Saturday for 14 days to break the transmission of Covid-19. The measure follows similar policies in Jakarta, Bekasi, Depok and Bogor. Greater Jakarta is the epicenter of Covid-19 in Indonesia.

When helping these patients, the doctors actually wore complete and qualified personal protective equipment (PPE). "There are several possible weaknesses that we need to examine. There is a possibility the transmission occurred when doctors took off their PPE after the surgery," he said. According to Agus, in this case, the patient may not necessarily have lied. "Whether it was identified in detail, or the patient did not provide information," he said.

Tightened up

The secretary of the Directorate General of Health Services at the Health Ministry, Agus Hadian Rahim, said the incident at Dr. Kariadi Hospital was still being evaluated. Now, procedures are being tightened to prevent the possibility of health workers contracting the coronavirus. "In order to prevent COVID-19 transmission to doctors and health workers in hospitals, the Health Ministry has appealed not to carry out routine practices except in emergencies," he said.

All health workers must wear protective equipment according to service risks.

Hospitals are asked to develop long-distance services for patients and their families. Health workers aged over 60 years or who have comorbidities are encouraged to work from home using information technology facilities. All health workers must wear protective equipment according to service risks.

Also read: Covid-19 Handling Command Strengthened

The chairman of the Indonesian General Physicians Association (PDUI) , Abraham Andi Padlan Patarai, said some doctors got infected after handling patients carrying COVID-19. Moreover, the symptoms of the disease resemble those of various other diseases and many people are infected without showing any symptoms.

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

An Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) worker takes a rest after spraying disinfectant at a neighborhood near a dormitory of the Bethel School of Technology in Petamburan, Central Jakarta, on Friday (17/4/2020). The disinfecting was aimed to break the transmission of Covid-19 after 36 students living at the dormitory tested positive.

For example, when examining a patient\'s inflamed throat, the doctor usually asks the patient to open his mouth. If it turns out the patient is infected with COVID-19, there is a high risk of transmission. As a result, many general practitioners have been infected. The same is true for dentists. They are at high risk.

"Health workers on the front line (personal practice, clinic, or in other primary health services) must be equipped with standard safety equipment," he said.

Abraham hopes the state will be able to solve the PPE problem, especially for health workers. Last week, the PDUI sent an open letter to President Joko Widodo, asking for a guarantee that all health workers are given protective equipment.

The secretary of the Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Directorate General at the Health Ministry, Arianti Anaya, asked health workers to be careful in purchasing or using PPE so that they can give maximum protection.

According to information on the National Disaster Mitigation Agency’s website, the protective equipment includes N95 masks, special clothes, boots, eye protection, disposable and sterile rubber surgical gloves, headgear and aprons.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Workers at Situ Gede Public Cemetery in West Bogor, Bogor, prepare graves for people who have died from Covid-19 on Friday (17/4/2020). As of Friday, the number of confirmed cases in Bogor was 11.

Honest patient

The chairman of the supervisory board of Dr. Kariadi hospital, Anung Sugihantono, said the public must be honest with health workers regarding their travel history and any symptoms or signs they have felt for at least the last 14 days. This must be reported to health workers in health centers, clinics, hospitals, or independent practices. This is important to prevent transmission.

Doctors, nurses and other medical personnel are very vulnerable.

Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo regretted that there were patients who were dishonest and thus transmitted the virus to health workers. "Doctors, nurses and other medical personnel are very vulnerable," he said.

Also read: Restrictions Critical to Covid-19 Fight

Regarding the development of a pandemic in Indonesia, spokesperson for the COVID-19 Task Force, Achmad Yurianto, reported that based on data from 214 districts/cities in 34 provinces as of Friday afternoon, there were 5,923 confirmed cases, 520 deaths and 607 recoveries. Compared to the previous day, there were an additional 407 confirmed cases, 24 deaths and 59 recoveries.

At present, PCR tests have been carried out on 42,108 specimens from 37,134 people in 34 laboratories. At present there are 12,610 patients under supervision and 173,732 people under monitoring. (TAN/AIK/DRI/DIT/JAL/VIO)

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

People prepare food at a designated place in Loji subdistrict, West Bogor, Bogor on Friday (17/4/2020). Residents in the subdistrict received staple food donations and distributed them to low-income people most affected by the large-scale social restrictions in the municipality to curb the spread of Covid-19.