TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Medical Association’s (IDI) mitigation team along with the Indonesian Dentists Association (PDGI), and the Indonesian Nurses Association (PPNI) revealed that 228 medical workers have died due to Covid-19.

As of September 29, 127 doctors, nine dentists, and 92 nurses died from the coronavirus disease. Of the total 127 doctors, 66 of them were general practitioners with four professors, 59 were specialists with four professors and two resident doctors.

The IDI's mitigation team head Eka Ginandjar said the spike in mortality rate was attributable to the lack of public discipline in the implementation of the rule of the adaption to new habits and the health protocols.

“Wearing face masks properly is vital to break the chain of Covid-19 transmission,” said Eka in a written statement on Tuesday, September 29.

He added that the emergence of new infection clusters in every area and sector must also be cautioned. He called on the public to practice 3M rules: wearing face masks, maintaining a physical distance of more than one meter, and washing hands with running water and soap.

The PDGI chairman Sri Hananta Seno said the majority of dentists who died were exposed to the virus when providing dental services to Covid-19 patients who were not developing symptoms. Thus, Sri called for online consultations through tele-dental medicine.

Read: IDI: Hundreds of People May Lose Medical Services as 115 Doctors Died

FRISKI RIANA