Please check the availability of PCR test laboratories, as inadequate number of testing sites could result in the 3T program not being implemented successfully.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan has urged that PCR test laboratories be made available not only in provincial capitals but also in districts and cities.

The setting up of laboratories across districts and cities aims to assist the government’s Testing, Tracking, and Treatment (3T) program for handling COVID-19, the minister noted during the virtual Vaccination Acceleration Coordination Meeting with the health minister and several epidemiologists from various universities in Indonesia on Wednesday.

"Mr Dante (the Vice Health Minister Dante Saksono), please check the availability of PCR test laboratories, as inadequate number of testing sites could result in the 3T program not being implemented successfully," he emphasized in a written statement here.

The availability of PCR test laboratories within districts or cities can also support the work of regional hospitals, according to the coordinating minister, who is concurrently the Java-Bali Public Activity Restrictions (PPKM) coordinator.

Pandjaitan also urged the 3T program to be conducted to trace a minimum five people, who had come in close contact with COVID-19 patients.

Hence, the minister has encouraged the meeting participants to monitor the implementation of 3T program in their respective neighborhoods.

Furthermore, Pandjaitan urged the Health Ministry in cooperation with the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) and National Police (Polri) to pursue the daily target of two million vaccination doses.

Vaccination also becomes one of the crucial steps to contain the spread of COVID-19 by creating herd immunity, Pandjaitan noted.

“The program to administer two million vaccination doses per day can be started in the first week of August. If the stocks are adequate, I hope we (Indonesia) would be able to achieve the targeted 200 million vaccinations by December 2021,” the minister stated.

Responding to the coordinating minister’s request pertaining to laboratories, Vice Health Minister Dante Saksono spoke of a test run of the laboratories first being conducted in Java and Bali.

“We need to evaluate several aspects regarding testing at community health centers (Puskesmas) since the facilities also serve many COVID-19 confirmed patients,” the vice minister noted.

Meanwhile, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin hinted at a likely increase in the number of confirmed cases in sync with the 3T program being intensified.

However, the program is expected to help early treatment of patients and suppress infection rates during the pandemic, Sadikin stated.

Most mortalities were reported in patients, who had not been vaccinated or had low saturation while being treated in the emergency room.

“Thus, we (the Health Ministry) will disseminate information on oxygen saturation to the public, so we can avoid fatalities due to delayed treatment,” the minister emphasized.

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Translator: Ade Junida, Uyu Liman
Editor: Sri Haryati
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