Puan Maharani Asks The Government To Anticipate The Impact Of The COVID-19 Spike Outside Java And Bali

Mrs. Maharani, Chairman of the House of Representatives (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Puan Maharani, again reminded the government to anticipate the impact of the spike in COVID-19 cases outside Java and Bali.

"Learning from experience, do not let the situation happen again like what happened on the islands of Java and Bali yesterday", said Puan, in Jakarta, Saturday, July 31.

According to the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, the condition of facilities and health workers outside Java must really become an awareness of policy makers and implementers in the field to mitigate the spike in cases. The reason is that the facilities and health workers are not as good as on the island of Java.

“Prevention must be optimized. Socialization and vaccination. Don't wait for victims and health services to be rushed again because of COVID-19", said Puan.

The chairman of the PDIP Central Executive Board (DPP) also asked the government to make more efforts to speed up vaccination. The focus of vaccination, she said, should be evenly distributed throughout Indonesia, not only in Java and Bali.

“Yesterday the focus was on Java and Bali because the cases were high. Now, the President said that the case data in Java and Bali was sloping. The focus must be extended beyond the two islands”, said Puan.

Puan assessed that the sooner the national vaccination target is realized, the lower the risk of exposure and death due to COVID-19 will be. Thus, economic recovery can be carried out immediately.

In addition, said Puan, data collection on the readiness and capacity of health services, from facilities to health workers, urgently needs to be updated at this time for outside Java and Bali. "Don't wait for the cases to increase first. Don't wait for the lack of facilities and health workers first", explained Puan.

Likewise the supply of medicines needed for handling COVID-19. Because, said Puan, the people have been patient and fought as long as various restrictions apply.

"Don't let the momentum of the observed sloping cases in Java and Bali only indicate that the case is moving to areas where the conditions of health services and health workers are more challenging", she said.