Regional Administrations Speed Up Preparations for Emergency COVID-19 Hospitals
The increasing number of confirmed COVID-19 cases has pushed several referral hospitals to full capacity. Regional administrations are opening new emergency hospitals to treat patients with mild and severe symptom.
By
KOMPAS TEAM
·4 minutes read
KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI
Medical officers from the Tebet Warga Community Health Center provide a free antigen swab test service held by the Tebet Police at the Merry Christmas 2020 and New Year 2021 Post in Pancoran, Tebet, South Jakarta, Monday (28/12/2020).
BOGOR, KOMPAS – Bed availability for COVID-19 patients has gradually decreased, prompting a number of regional administrations to prepare additional emergency hospitals. At the same time, the government is strengthening border controls to prevent the entry of a new strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes a much more contagious variant of COVID-19.
Emergency hospitals are being prepared by, among other facilities, by the Bogor administration in West Java and the South Tangerang administration in Banten, where the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases continues to rise. Bed occupancy rates for COVID-19 patients, too, have surpassed 80 percent.
On Monday (28/12/2020), Bogor Deputy Mayor Dedie A. Rachim said the number of available beds in 21 referral hospitals across Bogor had continued to decrease. Almost all 544 beds in the intensive care unit (ICU) and high care unit (HCU) are occupied.
“Currently, active COVID-19 cases in Bogor municipality stands at approximately 1,100. Meanwhile, there are only 544 available beds,” Dedie said.
The Bogor administration is accelerating preparations for additional emergency hospitals by making use of the Wisma Atlet Complex in GOR Pajajaran, Tanah Sareal district. The three-story building, owned by the Bogor Youth and Sports Agency, will be converted into an emergency hospital with a capacity of 77 beds for COVID-19 patients with mild and severe symptoms. It. Will start operating at the end of January 2021 at the latest.
The South Tangerang administration is also speeding up preparations for the newly constructed Pakulonan Regional General Hospital (RSUD), which has a capacity of 100 beds.
Kompas/Hendra A Setyawan
Health protocols are strictly enforced in the office environment of the South Tangerang City Government, Banten, Monday (28/12/2020). The South Tangerang City Government prohibits state civil servants from taking leave at the end of the year except for emergencies. This is to prevent and stop the spread of covid-19 due to year-end holidays.
South Tangerang Health Agency acting head Deden Deni said health workers posted at Pakulonan Hospital had been chosen from community health centers (Puskesmas) across South Tangerang.
“Our target is that by January, the hospital will be fully operational.”
The surge of COVID-19 cases is quite alarming. Within a week of the Christmas holiday, the majority of new COVID-19 cases are located in Jakarta, which borders Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi (Bodetabek).
“Based on data released on Dec. 27, districts that border Bodetabek had more than 100 new COVID-19 cases,” said Center for Metropolitan Studies (Centropolis) senior researcher Suryono Herlambang.
Adding extra beds
Similar conditions can be seen in East Java, Central Java and West Java. East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa said her administration was preparing additional beds in several hospitals.
“The number of hospital beds will increase from 6,611 to 7,001,” Khofifah said.
In addition to opening the new Lapangan Boulevard Hospital to treat COVID-19 patients, the East Java administration has converted Paru Hospitals in Jember and Surabaya as COVID-19 referral hospitals, increasing the number of referral hospitals from 127 to 145.
Kompas
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi gave a statement regarding the results of a limited cabinet meeting on Monday (28/12/2020). The government does not allow foreign citizens to enter Indonesia from January 1 to 14, 2021.
Meanwhile, East Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo has urged asymptomatic COVID-19 patients to make use of centralized self-isolation facilities provided by the regional administration so that hospitals could focus on treating patients with serious symptoms.
Bed occupancy rates in West Java have reached 78 percent, making it particularly urgent to provide health facilities outside hospitals.
West Java Governor Ridwan Kamil said 1,000 beds in non-hospital facilities were being prepared. These additional beds will be located in buildings mostly owned by the Indonesian Army (TNI AD).
The Health Ministry’s health service director general, Abdul Kadir, said the average bed occupancy rate of all hospitals across Indonesia was 64.10 percent. However, there are several provinces that have surpassed the average rate, namely Banten (85 percent), Jakarta (84 percent), West Java (83 percent), Yogyakarta (82 percent), Central Kalimantan (79 percent), East Java (77 percent), Central Java (70 percent) and South Sulawesi (69 percent).
Indonesian Hospital Association secretary general Lia G. Partakusuma said the Health Ministry had ordered hospitals to add increase the number of beds in isolation rooms for COVID-19 patients by 40 percent.
Our borders will be temporarily closed from Jan. 1 to 14 to foreign nationals from all countries
As part of its efforts to prevent COVID-19 transmissions, the government has also decided to tighten the country’s border control to prevent the entry of a new strain or variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Foreign nationals are prohibited from entering Indonesia between Jan. 1 and 14, 2021.
“During a limited Cabinet meeting on Dec. 28, it was decided that our borders will be temporarily closed from Jan. 1 to 14 to foreign nationals from all countries,” Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said on Monday afternoon.
This article was translated by Astria Zahra Nabila
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