Ministry Of Health Adds Drug Supply To Anticipate COVID-19 Surge In Mid-June

Deputy Minister of Health Dante Saksono Harbuwono (Photo: Andi Firdaus/Antara).

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health has increased the supply of drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 patients in hospitals in an effort to anticipate the increase in cases that are expected to occur in mid-June 2021.

"From the analysis carried out based on the current movement of cases, it is estimated that it will peak in mid-June 2021," Deputy Health Minister Dante Saksono Harbuwono said in the agenda of the Working Meeting (Raker) with the House of Representatives Commission IX reported by Antara, Thursday, May 27.

The Ministry of Health estimates that the spike in COVID-19 cases based on the situation of community movements during the Eid holiday is around 50 percent of the rate of cases occurring in the similar holiday agenda in 2020.

Dante said the assumption was that there would be an increase in drug availability by about 50 percent more than current availability in hospitals prepared for the care needs of COVID-19 patients in the next three months.

"We assume that in mid-June there will be an increase about 50 percent of cases compared to the previous holiday agenda," he said.

In addition to the availability of drugs, said Dante, the Ministry of Health has also increased the supply of oxygen production for vertical, private, and regional hospitals in Indonesia.

"Oxygen production is also being prepared. Because we learned from India that the largest number of cases of death there is due to lack of oxygen. Then we increase the quality capacity and quantity of oxygen which is quite good," he said.

Dante said that the availability of oxygen is estimated to be able to reach the treatment needs of up to 76 thousand patients in isolation rooms.

Dante added that the government has also distributed the need for antigens as an early detection of COVID-19 to the public.

"We have carried out rapid antigen distribution to several places that intersect with transmission from the population," he said.