Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Indonesian government has readied a field hospital at Wisma Haji Pondok Gede, East Jakarta, to tackle a surge in COVID-19 cases and to expedite handling of the outbreak.
“Here we have noted a spike in the spread of COVID-19 cases. Hence, we have implemented the emergency PPKM on July 3-20, 2021, ” Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, concurrently coordinator of the Java-Bali emergency PPKM, noted in a written statement here on Monday.
Next, the government is striving to meet the requirements of pharmaceutical products and medical devices, such as field hospitals and oxygen supplies, he said.
Eight buildings at the Wisma Haji Pondok Gede field hospital will be used for intensive care, to treat patients with moderate symptoms, and nurse dormitories. The rooms will thereafter be used on the basis of risk zoning, air circulation, access and traffic lanes for officers, patients, logistics, and clean or dirty goods. At a meeting with Pandjaitan on Sunday, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin expounded that one building will be used for intensive care, five buildings to treat patients with moderate symptoms, and two buildings for nurse dormitories.
“Each building has rooms that can be used as medical treatment rooms, pharmacy rooms, laundry rooms, and staff rooms. In total, we have 785 beds,” he explained.
Wisma Haji Pondok Gede is targeted to accommodate 600 to 700 comorbid patients, so they can receive medical treatment from Sunday. With such capacity, the government will also bring in health workers from outside Java to help treat patients at Wisma Haji Pondok Gede.
“These health workers, who come from outside Java, will help treat patients at the Wisma Haji field hospital. We have coordinated with the minister of public works and public housing (PUPR) to provide housing for them,” the health minister remarked.
In response to the request, PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono has prepared a Public Works House in the Pasar Jumat area to accommodate health workers sent from outside Java.
Meanwhile, several other places were also used as field hospitals, such as the flats of Nagrak, Pasar Rumput, and Wisma Athletes that served as places of isolation.
Patients began occupying the Nagrak and Pasar Rumput flats, and several towers have also begun filling up. Those admitted were asymptomatic patients or those with mild symptoms but no comorbidities, having oxygen saturation above 95 percent and not experiencing shortness of breath.
Source: Antara News