Luhut Admits That He Has Contacted Singapore-China Asking For Assistance In Handling COVID-19

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Menkomarves) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan (Photo: Screenshot of Youtube @Presidential Secretariat)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment (Menkomarves) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan admitted that he had prepared a scenario to deal with the shortage of facilities for handling COVID-19 patients during the implementation of emergency PPKM.

"We have done the scenarios to deal with that, both regarding the (availability of) drugs, regarding oxygen, and hospitals," Luhut said in a virtual press conference, Tuesday, July 6.

In addition, Luhut also admitted that he had contacted a number of countries such as Singapore and China to ask for assistance in providing health facilities.

"If we need help from outside, we have also communicated with Singapore, we also communicated with China (China), and also communicated with other sources," said Luhut.

Previously, the government acknowledged that there was a lack of oxygen for COVID-19 patients in a number of areas in the country.

Thus, to meet this need, the government plans to import medical oxygen and encourage domestic production. In fact, Luhut is currently in the process of importing oxygen.

"Regarding oxygen, there is indeed a shortage in some places. But soon we will give it and we will import it (oxygen, ed). Now it is on going," said Luhut.

In addition, the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment also encourages domestic medical oxygen producers to allocate industrial needs into medical needs.

At least, currently there are five producers who have been asked to do this to meet the oxygen needs for COVID-19 patients in the country.

"Of the five oxygen producers we asked for 100 percent given to health problems," said Luhut.