Doni Monardo Asks The Provincial Government Of Kaltara To Anticipate The Transmission Of COVID-19 Across National Boundaries

Chairperson of the Task Force for Handling COVID-19 Doni Monardo (Photo: BNPB documentation)

JAKARTA - Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) as well as Chair of the COVID-19 Handling Task Force (Satgas) Doni Monardo asks the Provincial Government of North Kalimantan (Kaltara) to fully anticipate and increase awareness of the potential for COVID-19 transmission from in-and-out activities of residents Indonesian citizens (WNI) and foreign citizens (WNA) through national borders in the Nunukan Regency and other border gates in North Kalimantan.

Reporting from his statement received by VOI, Wednesday, March 31, according to Doni, the mobility of the population, both Indonesian citizens and foreigners, has the potential to be the cause of increasing the number of COVID-19 cases if there is no special handling of border areas, as recommended by the Indonesian Government to break the chain. transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

"We have to anticipate. We have to be vigilant, ”explained Doni.

Looking at the data of Indonesian citizens and foreigners who arrived in Indonesia through the official Soekarno-Hatta airport route in Tangerang from the end of December 2020 to March 26, 2021, Doni received a report that 614 people from a total of 1,974 were reported to have tested positive for COVID-19 after going through two tests. PCR by the Port Health Office (KKP). Whereas previously they had pocketed negative swab letters from their home countries.

"As of today, of those who have tested positive from abroad after going through two PCR swabs there are 614 people who have tested positive for COVID-19," explained Doni.

"Even though those who arrived brought the documents resulting from negative swabs," he added.

Seeing this phenomenon, Doni believes it does not rule out the potential for transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to occur more across borders such as in Kaltara.

Moreover, according to reports and it is an open secret that there are still many illegal entrances or what is better known as 'rat paths' in the Kaltara region, which of course is also an important point to be anticipated immediately to reduce the number of COVID-19 cases.

This is because the transmission of COVID-19 carried by Indonesian citizens and foreigners can have fatal consequences if it has a direct impact on vulnerable groups and for people with comorbid or comorbidities at home.

Establishment of the Quarantine Task Force

On this occasion, Doni then gave an example of what the Provincial Government of West Kalimantan (Kalbar) had done in order to anticipate an increase in COVID-19 cases in their area from population mobility through border boundaries.

In this case, the West Kalimantan Provincial Government has formed a Quarantine Task Force under the command of the local Military Commander, after receiving a delegation and direction from the Governor of West Kalimantan.

The commitment was built after Doni previously visited and provided directions related to similar matters in the West Kalimantan region by presenting several elements of related Ministries / Institutions from the center at the beginning of last March.

Therefore, through the forum which was also attended by all elements of the regional government and attended by components from the central government, Doni advised that what the West Kalimantan Provincial Government has implemented can be used as inspiration in order to protect citizens from the pandemic that has hit the country during the past year.

So that what the Indonesian people have done in fighting COVID-19 will not be in vain and the number of cases can be controlled.

"Do not let our hard work during the past year be disturbed by our brothers, we cannot carry out the process according to the provisions of the quarantine," said Doni.

Fast Motion

In order to provide full support to the Provincial Government of Kaltara, BNPB is providing assistance worth 3 billion to accelerate the handling of COVID-19.

The support was given symbolically by the Head of BNPB, Lieutenant General TNI Dr. (HC) Doni Monardo to the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Kaltara Province worth 2.2 billion and to BPBD Nunukan Regency worth 700 million.

The details of the support provided include 20 thermometer gun kits, 2,000 PPE clothes, 2,000 googles glasses, 2,000 face shields, 50 pulse oximeter units, 100,000 cloth masks, 20,000 antigen test swabs and 2 ventilator units for the BPBD of Kaltara Province.

Then 50 thousand cloth masks, 10 thousand medical masks and 5,000 antigen test swabs for BPBD Nunukan Regency.

In addition, through discussion and absorption of aspirations from the local government, Doni also decided to provide support in the form of a PCR swab supporting device so that the tracing, tracking and treatment process could be accelerated and easier.

In the forum, Doni immediately ordered the Deputy for Logistics and Equipment of BNPB to immediately send all other needs to support the handling of COVID-19, especially in supporting cross-border operations tomorrow.

"Tomorrow will be sent," said Doni.