Good News! Minister Of Health Budi Adds 950 Beds For COVID-19 Patients In DKI Jakarta

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health has again increased the number of beds for COVID-19 patients in DKI Jakarta after the recent spike in cases. There are 900 isolation beds to treat COVID-19 patients which are currently being built at Wisma Haji Pasar Rebo, Jakarta.

It is hoped that this bed can be used in the next two days. Not only that, but the Ministry of Health also added 50 intensive care unit (ICU) beds at the location in collaboration with the Ministry of SOEs.

"In collaboration with BNPB in DKI, we will build 900 beds to treat COVID-19 patients at Wisma Haji in Pasar Rebo. Hopefully, it can be sorted out in the next two days. We can open 900 beds plus there are 50 ICU beds cooperate with the Ministry of SOEs", Budi said in an online press conference broadcast on the President Secretariat's YouTube account, Tuesday, July 6.

Meanwhile, for self-isolation, there are an additional 7,000 beds ready to accommodate COVID-19 patients. This is expected to be able to help the Wisma Atlet Kemayoran Hospital, Jakarta to take care of COVID-19 patients.

"We have doubled the ability of Wisma Atlet by providing an additional 7,000 isolation places in the Nagrag Flats and Pasar Rumput Flats. So that (patients, ed) we can accommodate them to enter a centralized isolation bed or enter a hospital bed", he said

"So there were 7,000 centralized isolation beds while there were an additional 950 hospital beds", added the former Minister of SOEs.

Meanwhile, for people who still want to self-isolate at home, the Ministry of Health has collaborated with 11 telemedicine platforms. Although it has only been tested in Jakarta, it is hoped that with this health platform, COVID-19 patients can continue to consult with doctors and get free medicine.

Those who are entitled to get free medicine and consultation from telemedicine are people who have been tested positive for COVID-19 and confirmed in the Ministry of Health database. Thus, the test must be carried out in a laboratory that has collaborated with the Ministry of Health.

"So it must be declared positive first so that there is no abuse, good governance, then if they consult telemedicine it will be free of charge and the medicine will be free from us", said Budi.

Furthermore, the steps that have been taken in Jakarta will be replicated in other areas. Remembering, the addition of massive cases did not only occur in the capital city but also in other areas, especially on the island of Java.

"We will replicate this strategy, including hospitals, additional isolation beds, and self-isolation to other areas according to the direction of the President", he concluded.