Calling DKI Jakarta And Yogyakarta The Heaviest, Minister Of Health Budi Unveils Strategy For Handling COVID-19 Cases To DPR

Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin/Antara

JAKARTA - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin revealed that his party continues to increase the bed capacity for COVID-19 patients, which before Eid was available around 75,000, now it has been increased to 107,000.

"And we still have room to increase to 120,000, but above 120,000 our position will be difficult because it is already 30 percent of the capacity of the whole of Indonesia," Budi said during a virtual working meeting with Commission IX of the DPR, Tuesday, July 13.

"So, I emphasize once again that whatever we do at the hospital will never be enough if we don't clean up on the upstream side. If we are not disciplined to keep our distance, wear masks and don't go anywhere but stay at home. That's very important, because if you don't feel sorry for my friends at the hospital, doctors, health workers, who will later receive a wave of patients who will enter," he continued.

Nationally, the Minister of Health said that room was still available, but in some provinces the need for space capacity was already very high because the explosion of the Delta variant was uneven.

This new virus is concentrated on the island of Java, but the Ministry of Health sees that the Delta variant has spread outside Java. Among them, Lampung, East Kalimantan, South Sumatra, West Papua, parts of Bengkulu and the Riau Islands.

"Now it has entered our radar outside of Javanese hospitals. If we observe its spread and rate of increase, this is a characteristic of the Delta variant mutation," explained the Minister of Health.

Nevertheless, Budi said, the Ministry of Health has made a scenario regarding how many rooms and beds should be added if the COVID-19 case worsens by 30 percent in the next 1-2 weeks. The Minister of Health noted that the areas with the most severe cases of infection were Yogyakarta and DKI Jakarta.

"The hardest thing to face in the next week to two weeks if there is a 30 percent deterioration, approximately 2-3 percent per day, are Jogja and DKI. Because there will be a shortage of isolation beds and ICU beds," said the Minister of Health.

Minister of Health Budi admitted that he had prepared a strategy if there were difficulties in filling beds for COVID-19 patients. The Ministry of Health has also regularly discussed with their respective governors.

"We convey that the strategies of Jogja and Jakarta are different. Because Jogja has about 2,000 beds, the BOR is 91 percent. However, there are actually 8,200 rooms and beds in Jogja. The 2,500 isolation rooms are now filled with 2,400. So it looks high. But Jogja can still convert an additional 2,000 to be moved. So from 8,247 new beds, the 2,000 dedicated to Covid rose to 4,000," said the Minister of Health.

It is different from DKI Jakarta because more than 50 percent have been converted. Therefore, a different strategy for the capital is also needed.

The second strategy, continued the Minister of Health, is that if the case is like in Jakarta, what is converted is one large hospital to a full one specifically for Covid. Such as Fatmawati Hospital, Friendship Hospital and Sulianti Saroso Hospital.

"We make it 100 percent for Covid. So there are additional 1000 rooms there. This also needs to be done in other cities if the BOR is getting higher and is accompanied by conversions above 50-60 percent," explained Budi.

The third strategy is to add field or emergency hospitals. From experience, the Ministry of Health utilizes the existing facilities in the rooms, beds and bathrooms.

"Instead of making new ones in the field because it's already done. We will convert Wisma Haji in 3-4 days, about 900 rooms, maybe 700-800 rooms, oxygen can serve moderate patients. ICU is more than 100, total is 900- We have taken care of the 1,000 beds at Wisma Haji," he said.

"Those are the 3 strategies as a template for areas with high rates of speed," said Minister of Health, Budi added.