Jokowi: Thursday, Pondok Gede Hajj Dormitory Can Be Used To Treat COVID-19 Patients

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo visited Pondok Gede Hajj Dormitory, East Jakarta as a COVID-19 Emergency Hospital. The hospital was prepared to anticipate a surge in COVID-19 cases.

When inspecting the hajj dormitory on Monday, July 5, Jokowi was accompanied by Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin and Minister of PUPR Basuki Hadimuljono.

"We have prepared this to anticipate the surge and spread of COVID-19 in Jakarta and its surroundings," Jokowi said in a video uploaded by the Presidential Secretariat, Tuesday, July 6.

He said the Hajj hostel will provide 900 beds plus 50 ICU rooms and 40 HCU rooms for COVID-19 patients. Jokowi hopes that this emergency hospital can be completed within the next two days so that it can be operated immediately.

"This was done by the PUPR Ministry yesterday and I have ordered that it can be completed within two days so that later on Thursday it can be used and operated," said Jokowi.

Jokowi said the government has also provided centralized isolation areas such as the Nagrak Cilincing Flats with 2,273 beds and Pasar Rumput Flats with 3,986 beds.

In addition, the government has added thousands of beds at the COVID-19 Emergency Hospital (RSDC) Wisma Atlet Kemayoran Jakarta.

"We have also added 1,200 more beds to Wisma Atlet, and we hope this will increase capacity in the event of a spike," Jokowi concluded.