In the health sector, I remind you to give priority to eight provinces in the handling (of the pandemic)Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has urged the Committee for COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery to prioritize Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, East Java, North Sumatra, South Sulawesi, South Kalimantan, and Papua in handling COVID-19.
"In the health sector, I remind you to give priority to eight provinces in the handling (of the pandemic)," Jokowi stated in his directive to the committee here on Monday.
Jokowi pointed out that 78 percent of COVID-19 cases across the country were found in these eight provinces.
"The target is clear, to reduce the fatality rate to its lowest level, increase the number of recoveries to its highest level, and curb the rise in positive cases as soon as possible," the head of state emphasized.
The president laid emphasis on taking massive and aggressive measures of testing, tracing, and treatment, or called 3T, for handling the COVID-19 pandemic.
"On the field, if we encounter problems in the supply of test kit and PCR devices as well as in terms of the laboratory capacity, personal protective equipment, and other healthcare facilities at hospitals, then solve them quickly. There is an urgent need for effective communication with hospitals, the public, and local government," he stated.
Earlier, at a limited meeting attended by cabinet ministers to discuss the acceleration of COVID-19 handling measures, the president called on the authority to intensify testing for the coronavirus disease by preparing more laboratories as well as mobile laboratories.
"For (coronavirus) testing, we need more PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test kits and ready more laboratories in regions and mobile laboratories. I am optimistic that we would be able to meet the target to provide 30 thousand (laboratories)," he remarked.
The head of state highlighted the significance of tracing and monitoring people at risk for the coronavirus disease.
As of Sunday (July 27), the number of COVID-19 patients in Indonesia had reached 98,778, with 56,655 recoveries and 4,781 deaths.
The virus has spread across the country’s provinces, with the highest number of cases recorded in East Java, reaching 20,539, followed by 19,125 in Jakarta, 8,881 in South Sulawesi, 8,412 in Central Java, 6,039 in West Java, 5,656 in South Kalimantan, 3,390 in North Sumatra, and 2,889 in Papua.
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Translator: Rangga Pandu AJ, Sri Haryati
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