Vice President Ma'ruf Amin: Government Overwhelmed In Preparing COVID-19 Treatment Centers

JAKARTA - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin said the government was currently overwhelmed in preparing health facilities for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. Therefore, the community is asked to be disciplined in complying with the Emergency Restrictions on Community Activities (PPKM) regulations.

"The government is currently working hard to prepare treatment until now many have installed hospital tents, lack of oxygen, lack of health workers", he said during a hybrid meeting with the ulama, Islamic religious leaders, and regional heads at the Vice President's Palace in Jakarta quoted by Antara, Monday, July 12.

Vice President Ma'ruf said the level of health danger of COVID-19 was extraordinary, as evidenced by the number of people who died, including health workers.

In addition, many hospitals are unable to accommodate patients due to the high bed occupancy rate, especially in Java and Bali, which is above 90 percent.

"This is what I want to convey to the Kiai, now the hospitals are no longer accommodating, lack of oxygen, many health workers die", he said.

The vice president said that as of July 6, 2021, more than 1,000 health workers had died from COVID-19, including 405 doctors, 399 nurses, 166 midwives, 43 dentists, and 32 laboratory experts.

"To become a doctor is not easy, not a year or two, but now many (doctors, ed.) are victims", continued Ma'ruf Amin.

He also said that the number of clerics who died from being infected with COVID-19 reached 541 people, consisting of 450 men and 90 women.

Therefore, the Vice President asked the ulama and Islamic religious leaders to work together with the government in tackling the health disaster of the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia.

"I would like to invite all of my friends to work together with the government to overcome the dangers of COVID-19. Together with our government, we are fighting, fighting to face the dangers of the evil COVID-19", said the Vice President.