TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto pledged that he would delegate doctors and nurses to Dr. Soetomo Regional Hospital in Surabaya.

“For the first phase, we will send doctors, then nurses,” Terawan said during his visit to the hospital on Wednesday, June 24.

The minister added that the assistance in the form of healthcare workers was given as per requests of the hospital director Joni Wahyuhadi since many of the latter's staffers were overwhelmed with the high number of Covid-19 patients.

In fact, he continued, a lot of patients could not occupy the hospital bed since it was fully occupied. “This aims at easing the hospital [in treating patients]. We want relaxation and have made protocols so that volunteers will not be infected [with the virus]."

According to Terawan, the protocols would anticipate further Covid-19 transmission among the front-line workers. As reported previously, he said many nurses and doctors tested positive for the virus, including twelve doctors at Dr. Soetomo Hospital.

Joni Wahyuhadi also admitted that he was overwhelmed in handling the rising Covid-19 cases at his hospital.

“I ask for help in the form of healthcare workers. We are considering the number and material. This is vital to assist us so we can take turns and not get tired [in treating Covid-19 patients],” Joni added.

Read: 22 Resident Doctors at Dr Soetomo Hospital Contract COVID-19

ANTARA