Jakarta Lacks Healthcare Volunteers, Deputy Governor Riza Asks Jokowi To Immediately Realize Promise To Add 1,000 Volunteers

The Governor and Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta held a virtual meeting with the heads of Puskesmas in Jakarta (Photo: ANTARA/Instagram@aniesbaswedan)

JAKARTA - Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta Ahmad Riza Patria said his region needed health volunteers to assist the limited number of health workers in handling COVID-19 cases.

"We need additional health workers, we invite all who have the expertise and competence to register as volunteers," said Riza Patria after visiting the Tebet Hospital and Jagakarsa Hospital, South Jakarta, quoted from Antara, Saturday, July 24.

According to him, the central government has promised to prepare around 1,000 health volunteers who are expected to jump in in the near future.

Meanwhile, Riza added that the Tebet Hospital also needed additional health workers and health facilities and infrastructure.

The type C hospital currently has 285 health workers serving an average of 400-500 patient visits.

For the handling of COVID-19, the hospital, which was previously the Tebet District Health Center, prepared 25 beds filled with 17 COVID-19 patients

"The number of COVID-19 patients being treated has now decreased to 17 people," he said.

Meanwhile, the total bed capacity in the Tebet Hospital is 75 beds. In addition to visiting the Tebet Hospital, Riza also visited the Jagakarsa Hospital.

At the hospital, the number two in the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government inspected a number of rooms ranging from patient care, cooking rooms, to baby care.

On that occasion, he also communicated via telephone and monitored via surveillance cameras or CCTV with a COVID-19 patient who was undergoing treatment.

Jagakarsa Hospital is a class D hospital with 50 bed capacities and 16 beds for COVID-19 patients. Currently, the number of COVID-19 patients who are still being treated is 16 people.

"We always try to provide the best facilities. Indeed, there needs to be an increase in the number of health workers. There is sufficient oxygen, medicine is also only for our health workers," he said at the Jagakarsa Hospital.