Central Govt' Must Strengthen Covid-19 Hospitals in Regions: Epidemiologist
Translator
Dewi Elvia Muthiariny
Editor
Mahinda Arkyasa
Jumat, 29 Januari 2021 17:26 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Epidemiologist from the University of Indonesia Pandu Riono, said that the central government should support regions to improve their health facilities for Covid-19 patients. That way, according to Pandu, regional administrations could work hand in hand to treat patients.
"When Jakarta's hospital bed is full, patients can be referred to Bekasi's hospital so not every patient is treated in Jakarta," Pandu told Tempo on Friday, January 29, 2021.
According to Pandu, the central government was absent in helping regions to improve their medical facilities. Meanwhile, 24 percent of Covid-19 patients being treated in the referral hospitals across the capital were residents of Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi (Bodetabek).
Jakarta Health Agency recorded that 63 percent of patients diagnosed with coronavirus infection in the capital were Jakarta residents, while 24 percent of them came from Bodetabek. The data was collected as of January 17 with a total of 8,890 ICU and isolation beds.
Pandu underlined that the Covid-19 situation in Jakarta was also influenced by its neighboring regions. "Everything causes direct impacts on Jakarta. If we just see Jakarta, the trend seems to have never dropped," he argued.
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