Mayor Eri Cahyadi Does Not Allow COVID-19 Hospital At Cito Mall Surabaya

Mayor of Surabaya Eri Cahyadi (DOC. Personal Instagram)

SURABAYA - The Surabaya City Government (Pemkot) did not issue an operational permit to the Siloam Hospital management, which plans to open a COVID-19 handling room at the City of Tomorrow Mall, Surabaya. The consideration is because local residents reject the existence of the hospital.

"Our goal is how Cito can return to being busy like before. Second, we don't want a COVID hospital there," said the Mayor of Surabaya, Eri Cahyadi, in Surabaya, Monday, March 30.

Eri Cahyadi said, there are various things that the hospital management should think about related to health impacts and economic impacts for apartment residents, booth managers in Cito, and residents around the mall. Eri Cahyadi admitted to hearing various complaints directly from the booth manager, who is currently moaning because of the economic impact.

"Even though there is no emergency hospital yet, especially if there is (hospital). Then it will make people even more afraid to come to the mall," he said.

In addition, Eri Cahyadi revealed that currently, the bed occupancy rate (BOR) in all existing COVID-19 Reference Hospitals and emergency hospitals has decreased.

"At that time we had talked about the condition of Covid-19 in Surabaya. The majority of East Java had turned yellow, now our job is how to reduce cases. Then the usability rate of our (Referral Hospital) bed (Surabaya) is 35 percent," he explained.

Therefore, Eri Cahyadi asked the Management of Siloam Hospital and Cito, who are members of the same management at the Lippo Group to immediately stop the construction process that is being carried out.

The Surabaya City Government provides a middle ground for a room that is prepared to be used as a health clinic in collaboration with a shopping center so that the condition of the mall can be more crowded.

"But if it is used as a COVID hospital, I make sure not," said Eri.