Minister Basuki Says The Government Has Added 7,116 Beds For COVID-19 Patients

Illustration - Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan inspects the COVID-19 Extension Hospital of Pondok Gede Hajj Dormitory (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono explained, the government has added treatment facilities for COVID-19 patients.

The location is in the Kirana Pavilion of Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM), Pasar Rumput Flats and Pondok Gede Hajj Dormitory in DKI Jakarta. The number reached 7,116 beds.

"One, converting Pondok Gede Hajj Dormitory into a COVID-19 hospital. There are five buildings that we converted from Hajj Dormitory into a hospital, buildings A, B, C, and H, and D5 to prepare 774 beds," he explained. Minister Basuki in Jakarta, Antara, Monday, July 12.

According to Basuki, Pondok Gede Hajj Dormitory Building A has begun to function as a place to treat COVID-19 patients on July 10, 2021. "Currently there are 40 patients who have been placed there," he said.

He emphasized that Wisma Haji Hospital only accepts referral patients from hospitals or health centers.

"So don't get me wrong. I just saw this on the banner, I couldn't go directly there without a referral from the puskesmas or hospital, because this is only for patients with mild to moderate symptoms, there is no ICU, but only the High Care Unit," he said. .

The preparation of the Hajj Dormitory B Building as a place for handling COVID-19 patients is targeted for completion on July 12, 2021. According to Basuki, the building will start operating as a COVID-19 patient care facility starting Monday at 16.00 WIB.

"Buildings C and A will be completed (prepared) and ready for operation tomorrow Tuesday, July 13. Meanwhile, Building D5, which is a bit badly renovated, is expected to be completed on Thursday to be ready for operation, so all of this is in the Hajj hostel, including in Buildings D3 and D4 for the health workers," Basuki explained.

The PUPR Ministry has also installed liquid oxygen tanks to support patient management.

"Today we will finish installing (installing it). Because just last night at 23.00 WIB it entered from Cilegon, so we immediately installed it today. Hopefully it will be finished tonight," he said.

He also explained that the Pasar Rumput Flats had been directly inspected by President Joko Widodo and could be used to provide an additional 5,952 patient beds.

"Tower 1 is ready to operate because it has already been prepared including medical equipment and beds, then for Tower 2 and 3 the infrastructure is ready. This morning the beds and medical equipment started to enter," said Basuki.

He detailed, Tower 1 has 689 rooms with a total capacity of 2,067 beds, Tower 2 has 606 rooms with a total capacity of 1,818 beds, and Tower 3 has 689 rooms with a total capacity of 2,067 beds.

"The Tower 1 is once again ready to operate from today," said Basuki.

The PUPR Ministry has also been tasked with preparing the Kirana RSCM Pavilion to become a COVID-19 Handling Hospital.

"That is on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th floors, as well as the 8th, 9th, 10th floors with a total of 390 beds later. This is a bit difficult, because it is a hospital that has not been completed since 2011 and there are still many shortcomings, we will finish it," he said. Basuki.

The PUPR Ministry, according to Basuki, was only given three weeks to prepare facilities for handling COVID-19 patients at the RSCM.

"This afternoon at 14.00 we together with the Director of the RSCM and the Director General of Health Services met and finalized the design, because this was a children's hospital, we changed the design to a COVID-19 hospital," he said.

"God willing, tonight or tomorrow morning we will start working. At least three weeks we will be able to use it or we will prepare for surgery," he added.

In addition to these three places, the Ministry of PUPR has also prepared hospitals in the regions. "We will be ready to carry out in accordance with orders from BNPB and the Minister of Health," Basuki said.