Jokowi Asks TNI Commander To Supervise 300 Thousand Free Medicines For Isoman COVID-19 Patients

President Joko Widodo and the Commander of the Indonesian Armed Forces (Photo: Screenshot Youtube @SecretariatPresident/Diah Ayu)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo requested that the TNI Commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto supervise the distribution of free medicines and vitamins for COVID-19 self-isolation patients specifically for the islands of Java and Bali, which began to be distributed today.

In the distribution of this drug, this distribution will be coordinated by Hadi. Then, it will coordinate with the local government to the village government, which will also involve the puskesmas, Babinsa and RT-RW administrators.

"I ask that strict supervision be carried out in the field so that this program can really reduce the risk due to COVID-19 and help treat people suffering from COVID-19," said Jokowi at the launch of the Free Isoman Medicine Package for the People at the Palace yard. Merdeka, Central Jakarta, Thursday, July 15.

Then, Jokowi also asked that this program not interfere with the availability of essential drugs for COVID-19 therapy in pharmacies and hospitals. The former governor of DKI emphasized that the 300 thousand packages of drugs he distributed were not for sale.

"This package of self-isolation drugs is not for sale. The supply is prepared by the Minister of SOEs, which are produced by pharmaceutical SOEs," said Jokowi.

Of the 300 thousand packages of drugs and vitamins distributed, the government divided them into three packages, namely package 1 containing vitamins for residents with positive asymptomatic PCR (polymerase chain reaction) results or OTG.

Package 2 contains vitamins and medicine for residents with positive PCR with complaints of fever and loss of smell. The last 3 packages contain vitamins and medicine for residents with positive PCR with complaints of fever and dry cough.

Responding to this, Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto said that the distribution of the free medicines would be supervised by the Kodam, Kodim, Koramil, and Babinsa in the health department. Then, they will be accompanied by the puskesmas and village midwives in distributing medicines to the community.

"Officers from the puskesmas and village midwives have a list of who is carrying out the isoman and the distribution will be adjusted according to the data held by the puskesmas, with the requirements that have been determined by the puskesmas, including the results of the swab and indeed the community must carry out isoman," explained Hadi.

Meanwhile, the storage of drug packages will be placed in the Kodim of each region. "Because there must be supervision, data collection, including recording of drug entry and exit," he concluded.