Jakarta (ANTARA) - Secretary General of the Ministry of Health Kunta Wibawa Dasanugraha stated that his side provides 150 people in the health facility alert monitoring team for the Christmas and New Year holidays.

“Every year, during the Christmas and New Year holidays, we have prepared health services posts. Hence, if travelers need something, the posts will provide service for them,” he stated in the office of the Ministry of Health in Jakarta on Thursday.

Dasanugraha noted that 150 people will be placed in health services posts on some travel routes, such as Jakarta-Palembang, Jakarta-Surabaya, and Jakarta-Yogyakarta.

The posts will also be available on other routes, such as Surabaya-Bali-West Nusa Tenggara, Medan-Padang, and Makassar-Tana Toraja. The posts are available from December 18, 2023, to January 3, 2024.

Dasanugraha stated that the ministry’s monitoring team is expected to maximize health services for travelers in its predetermined posts.

He also remarked that travelers during the Christmas and New Year holidays are expected to reach 107 million, which will increase threefold from last year’s 44 million people.

“Our posts must be operated well. If there are any problems, we will resolve them as soon as possible. We (will) express the problems to regional governments and health agencies,” he stated.

Related news: Minister presses for special attention to tourism travels at year-end

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health’s Director General of Health Service, Azhar Jaya, explained that the 150 personnel on the monitoring team will be supported by 15 thousand hospitals throughout Indonesia, especially in Java, Sumatra, and Sulawesi.

“In the central (office), we, the Ministry of Health, are cooperating with regional governments, in this case, health agencies and hospitals. Here, our central team consists of 150 people,” he stated.

In detail, the monitoring activities will include the readiness of health service facilities in public health centers (puskesmas), hospitals, and port health offices.

Monitoring activities will also include health service posts at toll exits, operational toll lanes, rest areas, non-toll roads or arterial roads, tourist spots, worship places, bus terminals, train stations, airports, and sea ports.

“Evacuation availability and readiness will be conducted with 352 units of 119 public safety centers as well as two-wheeled and four-wheeled ambulances,” Jaya stated.

Related news: Ministry projects 107 million to travel during year-end holidays

Translator: Astrid, Luthfia, Azis Kurmala
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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