Airlangga Hartarto Disagrees With Anies' Statement Saying That Hospital Capacity Is Limited

Illustration. (Photo: Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The Head of Handling COVID-19 and National Economic Recovery Airlangga Hartarto responded to the statement of DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan. He said that the government has sufficient budget to deal with health problems in the country.

Anies previously said the reason he pulled the emergency brake was by re-applying the PSBB. For one thing, the number of positive cases of COVID-19 in Jakarta has increased sharply. Thus causing limited hospital beds.

Airlangga ensured that the government's health capacity was not limited, and was available to the community. According to him, the government will continue to add health facilities.

"The government emphasizes that there is no limited health capacity, the government has sufficient funds. The government will increase the bed capacity, the government will convince all regions including DKI Jakarta," he said, in a press conference at the BNPB Building, Thursday, August 10.

According to Airlangga, the government will also use 2 and 3 star hotels as treatment rooms if the capacity in the hospital is no longer sufficient to accommodate COVID-19 positive patients.

"The central government pays serious attention to the development of the situation and always improves hospitals and health facilities. We will continue to add facilities at the hotel, including utilizing 2 and 3 star hotels," he said.

Airlangga said that Wisma Atlet, which has been used to treat positive patients with COVID-19, also still has sufficient space. According to him, the building will be maximized.

"Also preparing an independent isolation room at Wisma Atlet where Wisma Atlet also prepares, both in towers 5 and 6, as well as specifically for foreign workers, namely towers 7 and 8," he said.

Previously, the Governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan said that one of the reasons he reimposed the strict PSBB was that the concern about the depletion of bed capacity was based on the continuing high number of active COVID-19 cases.

According to Anies, if the number is not increased, isolation beds for COVID-19 patients will no longer be able to accommodate patients on September 17. If the capacity has been increased but no 'emergency brake' is applied, it will return to full on 6 October.

In addition, said Anies, another reason is related to the use of a special ICU bed for COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms. According to him, if the number is not added, the ICU bed will no longer be able to accommodate patients on September 15. When the capacity has been increased but no "emergency brake" is applied, it will return to full capacity on 25 September.

"In the short term, we increase capacity. But, if there are no strict restrictions, then this is just buying time. In less than a month, the hospital will be full again," he said, at the City Hall of DKI, Central Jakarta, Monday, September 9. .