Defense Minister Prabowo Orders Bulk Swab Tests For TNI Soldiers

Prabowo Subianto (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - Defense Minister (Menhan) Prabowo Subianto ordered a mass swab test for TNI soldiers. According to the spokesman for the Minister of Defense Prabowo, Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak, this order was issued after the spread of COVID-19 in the TNI environment.

Most recently, the transmission of COVID-19 in West Java occurred at the Bandung Army Officer Candidate School (Secapa) and the Army Military Police Education Center (Pusdikpom AD) in Cimahi.

"In relation to this, Pak Prabowo asked for a mass swab test for all TNI soldiers," Dahnil told reporters, Friday, July 10.

This swab test needs to be done because TNI soldiers must always be ready to carry out their duties, including handling the COVID pandemic. The TNI together with the Police are the spearheads in this matter.

Dahnil said, previously swab tests had been carried out by a number of TNI units. However, after the incident at Secapa TNI AD Bandung, Prabowo asked that the swab test be carried out more widely to prevent the spread of COVID-19 within the TNI.

"Several units and units have been carried out several times. He (Prabowo, red) asked that it be carried out continuously and more widely," he said.

Previously, West Java (Jabar) was the province with the highest number of positive cases of COVID-19, Thursday, July 9. The cause was the infection of 1,262 people from the Indonesian Army Officer Candidate School Education Center cluster (Secapa) in Bandung. Now, as AD is strictly isolated.

The government spokesman for the handling of COVID-19, Achmad Yurianto, explained that isolation supervision was carried out strictly by health elements from the Siliwangi Military Regional Command 3.

"We isolate the entire educational complex for prospective TNI Army officers in Bandung, we do quarantine and then we prohibit the movement of people, either entering the complex or leaving the complex," said Yuri at Graha BNPB, East Jakarta, Thursday, July 9th.

Yuri said that 1,262 positive cases consisted of students who were undergoing training and several trainers. Even so, only 17 were treated and isolated at the Dustira Cimahi hospital due to complaints, including fever and respiratory complaints.

"Meanwhile, the remaining 1,245 people without any complaint. Currently, we are all quarantined in the education area of the Army Officer Candidate School in Bandung," Yuri explained.

Furthermore, all Secapa AD participants who are undergoing independent isolation are declared to be in good condition. Yuri ensured that the spread of COVID-19 would not spread outside the Secapa AD complex because there was tight security.