Collaborating With Chinese Entrepreneurs, Luhut Bring 40 Tons Of Medical Devices

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Panjaitan. (Wardhany Tsa Tsia / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Ministry for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Marves) led by Luhut Binsar Panjaitan in collaboration with the Indonesian Private Electric Producers Association (APLSI) is coordinating the donation of medical equipment (Alkes) to control and handle the COVID-19 outbreak in Indonesia.

The medical equipment totaling around 40 tonnes was transported using a Boeing 777 aircraft from Garuda Indonesia and is scheduled to arrive in Indonesia via Soekarno-Hatta International Airport on Thursday evening, March 26.

Spokesperson for the Coordinating Ministry for Marves, Jodi Mahardi, said the tools were obtained from several companies from China investing in Indonesia. Most of the donors are investors who have invested in Indonesia, such as in Morowali, Weda Bay, Obi, Kendari, Konawe and surrounding areas.

Investors, said Jodi, sent medical aid for COVID-19 to help deal with the pandemic nationally and also locally, especially in the places where they invest.

"The Coordinating Ministry for Marves, according to Pak Luhut's direction, is working with APLSI to coordinate assistance from various companies so that it can be immediately sent to Indonesia and can be properly distributed to meet the enormous and urgent needs," he said, through a written statement received by VOI, in Jakarta, Thursday, March 26.

Jodi explained, with the assistance of 40 tons of medical equipment, it is hoped that the handling of the COVID-19 outbreak can take place more quickly and the government can protect citizens, including the safety of medical workers who are currently fighting at the forefront.

According to Jodi, this medical aid aid is proof of good relations between the two countries and also a form of concern for the COVID-19 outbreak which is a challenge for all countries in the world.

The medical supplies themselves consist of a COVID-19 test kit, N95 masks, surgical masks, to personal protective equipment such as clothes, glasses, gloves, and so on.

"The entire aid will later be distributed through BNPB, hospitals, and a network of several medical faculties," he explained.

Jodi said that there were six medical faculties in Indonesia that received assistance in the form of PCR and RNA extraction machines. This lab tool will be able to check the swab tests carried out to detect COVID-19.

"In the future, after this tool is sent, it is hoped that in the second week of April all the Medical Faculties will have the ability to perform each test of 1,000 samples per day," he said.

As is known, when China was faced with an emergency from January to February, the Chinese government received medical equipment assistance from dozens of countries and various international organizations. Now that the new cases of infection there have dropped dramatically, China has begun to actively divert its resources by sending various aid to other countries that are overwhelmed by the COVID-19 outbreak.

The countries that received assistance from China included Japan, Spain, Italy and Iraq. Indonesia is one of the countries that has received assistance from China, because as it is known, Indonesia is currently experiencing an emergency situation due to the COVID-19 outbreak.