Jokowi Said, The PCR Test Was Still Far From The Target

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo said the number of specimen testing through Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to detect the corona virus or COVID-19 continues to be increased because the number of specimens tested has not reached the target.

Jokowi said that currently the sample through the PCR mechanism was below the 10 thousand mark, as he had targeted since last April.

"I just received a report that the ability to test specimens for PCR has now reached 4 thousand to 5 thousand samples per day," said Jokowi when opening a limited meeting on 'Accelerating the Handling of the COVID-19 Pandemic' which was broadcast on the official YouTube account of the Presidential Secretariat, Monday, May 11th.

The former governor of DKI Jakarta asked for the addition of the necessary testing equipment such as reagents, RNA and VTN so that the specimen testing process could quickly reach the predetermined target.

"Regarding the problem in testing equipment that is still lacking, especially for PCR, RNA, and VTN reagents. I ask that this be resolved immediately this week," he said.

To support the sample testing, Jokowi asked 104 laboratories that are included in the COVID-19 network to be fully functional. Given the total, 51 laboratories have not been able to carry out the examination.

He ordered that human resources could be immediately prepared so that the sampling process could be further improved in the future.

"I see that the problem of the readiness of trained human resources needs more attention," said Jokowi.

Previously, Doni Monardo, Chair of the Task Force for the Acceleration of Handling COVID-19, admitted that the number of specimens tested in the laboratory was only around 6 thousand to 7 thousand specimens and was still far from the target. This happens because there are obstacles, namely a lack of human resources.

"So far, the problem is that the human resources in each laboratory are not optimal and personnel are still limited," said Doni in a press conference after a limited meeting which was broadcast on the Cabinet Secretariat YouTube account, Monday, May 4.

Meanwhile, regarding the availability of reagents, Doni said there was no problem considering that the government had just brought in 420 reagents for PCR testing and 500 thousand thousand RNA extracts.

Due to these obstacles, his party admitted that he had asked the Executive Board (PB) of the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) and IDI in various regions. So, massive testing to track the spread of COVID-19 can continue to be carried out.

"The Task Force has asked PB IDI and all regional IDIs to help provide support so that massive testing efforts can be carried out more optimally," he said.