I have urged Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) and National Police (Polri) to persuade COVID-19 patients, especially the elderly and the ones with comorbidities, to be treated in the isolation centers so they can get adequate oxygen supply.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Maritime and Investment Affairs Minister Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, who is also Java-Bali public activity restrictions (PPKM) coordinator, has urged regional governments to encourage residents to use isolation centers.

Centralized isolation facilities are meant to help COVID-19 patients get optimal treatment as they can be easily monitored, especially the elderly with comorbidities, he said in a written statement received here on Monday.

“I have urged the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) and National Police (Polri) to persuade COVID-19 patients, especially the elderly and the ones with comorbidities, to be treated in the isolation centers so they can get adequate oxygen supply,” he emphasized.

He made the statement amid an increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Special Territory of Yogyakarta and Solo (also known as Surakarta) Metropolitan Area – Surakarta City, Sukoharjo district, Karanganyar district, Boyolali district, Klaten district, Sragen district, as well as Wonogiri district.

Public mobility has indeed started to decrease in the Special Territory of Yogyakarta, he noted. However, the region is still experiencing a rise in positivity and mortality rates, he stated.

He then encouraged the enforcement of PPKM Level 4 in Solo as the city’s positivity rate has continued to climb.

Considering the current situation, the coordinating minister suggested several crucial steps to suppress the mortality rate.

First, regional governments must prohibit vulnerable patients from undertaking self-isolation, he said. Such patients must be relocated to centralized isolation sites, he added.

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Local governments must also issue strict regulations to maintain the oxygen supply, he said. “Liquid oxygen should be used only for intensive treatment, meanwhile oxygen concentrators must be disbursed for isolation program in hospitals,” he added.

Furthermore, he recommended that more facilities be prepared in regional hospitals, especially intensive care units (ICU) and isolation rooms.

Pandjaitan also asked the Health Ministry to assist in providing health workers.

Meanwhile, Solo City Mayor Gibran Rakabuming Raka said the isolation center in the region has 1,700 beds. However, only 402 beds have been occupied since COVID-19 positive patients prefer to self-isolate in their own homes, he added.

The high bed occupancy rate in Solo Metropolitan Area can be attributed to the fact that many residents from outside the region are getting treated in Solo City, he said. Hence, the surrounding regions must accelerate vaccination programs in their respective areas, he advised.


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Translator: Ade Junida, Uyu Liman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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