TNI Commander Praises Handling COVID-19 In Merauke

TNI Commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto with National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo/PHOTO VIA ANTARA

JAKARTA - TNI Commander Marshal TNI Hadi Tjahjanto praised the performance of the Merauke Regency government, Papua, in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic in his area. The rate of confirmed cases is still relatively under control in Merauke.

“Currently the positivity rate (positive case rate) is at 5.50 and close contact tracing still needs to be improved. Good indicators, namely the low BOR (hospital occupancy rate) and 0 (nil) mortality rate in Merauke. This means that the treatment at the hospital is going well," said the TNI Commander in Merauke, Papua, quoted by Antara, Friday, August 27.

The Commander in Chief when meeting the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) of Merauke Regency also received reports that the number of positive cases in the area had begun to decline, while COVID-19 patients treated at hospitals made up 34 percent of the total positive cases.

However, the TNI Commander reminded the Merauke Regency government to continue to increase its tracking capacity so that the pandemic remains under control in the area.

Active and massive tracking can help reduce the rate of disease spread and prevent the risk of death, because patients without symptoms and mild symptoms or those with congenital (comorbid) diseases can be treated quickly.

Marshal Hadi also asked the local government to continue to increase the rate of vaccination.

"It's even better if the people are also healthy and vaccinated so they can enjoy the matches and the sports that are competed and will move the wheels of the community's economy," said the Commander.

Merauke is one of the districts in Papua that will host the XX National Sports Week (PON).

Therefore, the TNI Commander hopes that the pandemic in Merauke will remain under control so that it can support the XX Papua PON which will take place in October 2021.

Related to that, the TNI Commander said that his party was ready to help local governments to carry out pandemic prevention programs, including vaccinations.

"TNI-Polri are ready to intensify vaccinations and assist the local government in vaccination centers as well as by picking up balls to villages by mobilizing TNI-Polri vaccinators," said Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto.

The TNI Commander together with the National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo and the Minister of Youth and Sports Zainudin Amali visited Merauke to examine the pandemic response, vaccination, as well as review the readiness of the XX PON.

During the visit, the group met with the Forkopimda of Merauke Regency at the Merauke Regent's Office, Friday.

"I want to give a very big appreciation for the potential of Merauke Regency and the enthusiasm of the Regent to be able to advance Merauke Regency, including in handling COVID-19," said the TNI Commander.