TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta provincial administration allocated an unexpected budget totaling Rp54 billion to mitigate the new coronavirus or COVID-19 outbreak. The fund was delivered to the city’s Health Agency.

“Jakarta prepares an unexpected expense to cover activities that are not drafted by each regional working unit (SKPD), especially Health Agency,” said the head of the city’s COVID-19 response team Catur Laswanto at the City Hall on Tuesday, March 10.

Catur explained that the budget was necessary to support the Health Agency optimizing its work in preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Health Agency Head Widyastuti, meanwhile, said that the additional budget would be used to procure the personal protective equipment (PPE) and disinfectant equipment.

She elaborated that there are two aspects in the virus mitigation; first is the clinical aspect by considering the prevention of the virus spread throughout the city and community health efforts and second, disinfectant measures.

“We acknowledge that certain vehicles and areas are required to be sterilized so we need disinfectant tools,” Widyastuti added.

Moreover, the government was preparing to set more referral hospitals to treat COVID-19 patients, including National Police Hospital, Mintoharjo Hospital, Pasar Minggu General Hospital, and Cengkareng General Hospital.

KIKI ASTARI | ADITYA BUDIMAN