Papua XX PON Preparatory Meeting, National Police Chief Reminds Control Of COVID-19

National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo/DOK Public Relations of the Police

JAKARTA - National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo emphasized the control of COVID-19. Vaccinations are requested to be increased.

This was conveyed by the National Police Chief in a joint meeting of the Papuan Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda), in Jayapura, Thursday, August 26.

"Health protocols for the prevention and control of COVID-19 as well as vaccinations for all related parties must be implemented," Sigit said in a statement from the National Police Public Relations.

At the meeting which was also attended by TNI Commander Marshal TNI Hadi Tjahjanto, the National Police Chief encouraged Forkopimda Papua to play an active role in completing the venue or location for the four-yearly sports event.

According to the National Police Chief, there are 44 PON venues in four districts/cities that have been prepared.

"Currently, it is less than a month before the implementation of PON XX, there are still various problems in the venue of PON XX. This will hinder the process of implementing PON. Forkopimda must play an active role to help resolve existing problems," said Sigit.

By holding the XX PON in Papua, said Sigit, it will encourage economic growth in the region which can improve the welfare of the local community.

"The implementation of PON XX will encourage economic growth in Papua in the second quarter of 2021, the Papuan economy with mining and quarrying by 13.14 percent, while without mining and quarrying by 2.81 percent," said Sigit.

However, Sigit reminded, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indonesian economy began to grow by 7.07 percent. Meanwhile, the increase in production of gold and copper commodities is quite significant, causing Papua's economic growth with mining and quarrying to grow positively since the fourth quarter of 2020. Papua's economic growth without mining and quarrying grew by 2.8 percent.

The National Police Chief also appealed to Forkopimda in Jayapura to pay attention to the handling and control of COVID-19, related to the implementation of PON XX.

According to Sigit, the implementation must still apply strict health protocols (prokes).

With the implementation of disciplined procedures, said Sigit, the implementation of PON XX will run smoothly and public health from SARS-CoV-2 can be guaranteed.

"PON XX Papua is successful and smooth, investment is safe, economic growth is increasing, Papua is more advanced and modern, the community is healthy and prosperous," said Sigit.

In addition, Sigit highlighted that the districts/cities holding the PON, namely Jayapura City, Jayapura Regency, Merauke Regency, Mimika Regency, and Keerom Regency, to date have the highest active cases in Papua.

Therefore, the National Police Chief said that there was a need for joint efforts with all parties to suppress the spread of COVID-19 in Papua, especially in the districts/cities hosting the XX PON Papua.

Sigit explained that the hospital bed occupancy rate (BOR) in Papua was ranked 14th nationally at 41 percent, a decrease of 11 percent from 52 percent in the previous two weeks.

There are currently 14 centralized isolation locations (isoters) with a capacity of 810 beds.

"This needs to be a concern for four regencies/cities that have high active cases, but do not yet have isoters. Efforts to shift self-isolation to isoters need to be carried out optimally with the help of local governments, community leaders and regional leaders," said Sigit.

Sigit added that vaccination as an effort to suppress the growth rate of COVID-19 must be seriously considered by Forkopimda.

According to the National Police Chief, the government is paying special attention to meeting the needs of vaccines in Papua, especially in areas that hold PON.

The government, said Sigit, is paying special attention to Papua by meeting the need for vaccine doses for the cities/regencies that host the XX Papua PON venue, which will be sent from 15 to 18 August 2021 as many as 485,200 doses.

"Vaccination in Papua must reach 32,423 doses per day to reach the national target of 2.3 million doses per day, for areas that are the venue for PON XX Papua, acceleration must be carried out, especially to reach 100 percent of the first dose," said Sigit.