Rejected By Traders And DPRD, Whisnu Sakti Evaluated The Operation Of The COVID-19 Hospital At Cito Mall Surabaya

SURABAYA - The Surabaya City Government (Pemkot) is still conducting operational evaluations of the COVID-19 Emergency Hospital which is located on the Surabaya border, to be precise in the City of Tomorrow (Cito) Mall area. Moreover, there were residents' refusals that the DPRD asked for the hospital operation to be canceled.

"So yesterday there was a demonstration. I have also contacted Siloam. If there is a resistance from the residents, we will not allow it," said Acting Mayor of Surabaya, Whisnu Sakti Buana, in Surabaya, Friday, February 5.

He ensured that before the COVID-19 Emergency Hospital operates, the management must comply with all requirements until they are truly met. For example, from the existence of strict boundaries with malls to Wastewater Treatment Plants (IPAL) in accordance with regulations.

Whisnu emphasized that there was no negotiation for the requirements to be in accordance with the Minister of Health Regulation (Permenkes). This is important for the safety of local residents.

"Talking about the safety of citizens is the highest law for us. Then for the IPAL they are ready to build it themselves, because it is one of the main standards regarding waste. So we continue to provide assistance," he said.

In addition, Whisnu admitted that currently emergency hospitals are still needed, even though the number of patients in hospitals has decreased. In addition, Whisnu will continue to pay attention to input from the public, including tenant managers in the mall to residents who live in apartments.

"Even though we have been persuasive, the residents still don't want to mean that we have to postpone the opening of the hospital first. While later we will socialize it in the sub-district with community leaders," he said.

Whisnu also revealed that he would continue to concentrate on increasing the bed capacity in the hospital in accordance with the Circular (SE) from the Minister of Health (Menkes) of the Republic of Indonesia. "Until now, we continue to monitor it, and the hospital is preparing it all," he said.

Whisnu hopes that in the future there will be no more increase in cases in the City of Heroes and hopes that the COVID-19 pandemic will end soon. "We hope there will be no more spikes, but we are still preparing everything more carefully," he said.