Sandiaga Uno Appreciates Industry For Helping To Fulfill Rare Medical Oxygen Demand

Workers arrange oxygen cylinders at the Samator oxygen filling station, Sleman, DI Yogyakarta, Thursday, July 8. (Intermediate Photo)

JAKARTA - Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno Uno appreciates industries that help meet the demand for oxygen for medical needs in dealing with COVID-19 in Indonesia.

"We must thank and appreciate industries that have shifted their industrial oxygen demand and supply to serve the demand for a significant increase in oxygen in the medical field," said Sandiaga Uno during a discussion with the President Director of PT Aneka Gas Industri, as in an official broadcast on Thursday, July 8.

In the virtual meeting, he concluded a number of important things, including the fact about the high demand for oxygen for medical needs in handling COVID-19 cases throughout the archipelago. He emphasized that the issue of scarcity and stockpiling of oxygen was not true.

"It's not a scarcity, but there are limitations that can be mapped on three lines that we must pay attention to together," he said.

The first line, he explained, is the amount of oxygen production, which is now still possible to meet the national oxygen demand. The reason is because of a decision from the industrial sector to shift its oxygen needs for medical needs.

Workers arrange oxygen cylinders at the Samator oxygen filling station, Sleman, DI Yogyakarta, Thursday, July 8. (Intermediate Photo)

He said the move was very wise, considering that the participation of all parties was needed in handling COVID-19, which is now entering a crucial stage.

He added that the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy will provide support through the provision of oxygen cylinder storage areas in a number of tourist destinations and creative economy centers. The storage area is said to be close to health facilities, so that the oxygen cylinder distribution process can run optimally.

"Including the provision of hotels as health facilities equipped with oxygen cylinders for isolation for COVID-19 patients with mild or moderate symptoms," said Sandiaga. "This is what we will coordinate with industry players (hospitality)," he added.

The next thing is the identification and collection of oxygen cylinders that have not been distributed. In the identification process, his party will collaborate with the tourism and creative economy communities throughout the archipelago.

Those who are currently "hibernating" can be empowered to help channel empty oxygen cylinders, so they can be refilled.

According to him, a number of these steps are a form of the government's alignment with the community, especially the tourism sector and the creative economy. This is because the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic is in line with the national economic recovery, including tourism and the creative economy.

"This is a concrete step that the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy can take in coordination with stakeholders in the tourism and creative economy environment," said Sandiaga Uno.