"From upstream, this telemedicine can accelerate the vaccination program. Meanwhile, from downstream, anyone who is sick can receive good care and supervision, especially those who are self-isolating," he pointed out at an online press conference here on Thursday.
Besides providing vaccination center locations, digital telemedicine services for COVID-19 vaccinations can also help in making registrations, setting schedules, and carrying out initial screening so that herd immunity can be reached quickly in Indonesia, he explained.
With the organized system offered by digital services, the national vaccination program against the SARS-CoV-2 can run according to procedures, he added.
Faqih also lauded telemedicine services providing COVID-19-related information to help the public better understand their health condition and to support the handling of the current pandemic.
Such services can be a reliable source of education for people as they are currently affiliated directly with the Health Ministry and experienced doctors, he pointed out.
Educating people about following a clean and healthy lifestyle, the importance of maintaining a healthy body, and strengthening the body's immune system can help people to live a better quality of life even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.
From the downstream side, in the past month, telemedicine service providers have had a considerable impact, especially in the handling of COVID-19 in the capital city of Jakarta and its surrounding areas as they have become partners providing consulting services to patients undergoing self-isolation, Faqih noted.
Patients who are self-isolating, especially those who are asymptomatic and who have mild symptoms, have a higher recovery rate since telemedicine services are helping treat them through consultation services and distribution of drugs and multivitamins to patients, he said.
"Self-isolation treatment is very essential. Assistance from health workers helps speed up the patient's healing process. Currently, telemedicine allows medical personnel to monitor patients more effectively. This is a strategic step that is contributing greatly to the handling of the pandemic in Indonesia," he added.
He hoped that Indonesian people can use telemedicine services more actively so that the transmission rate of COVID-19 can be brought down, while the recovery rate from the disease can increase for asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic patients undergoing self-isolation.
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Translator: Livia Kristianti, Katriana
Editor: Sri Haryati
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