TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The number of Covid-19 positive cases in Indonesia has drastically increased, including in the Papua Province. The latest data released in the official website covid19.papua.go.id on July 22, shows that to date, there are 29,047 confirmed Covid cases in Indonesia's easternmost province.

In response to this, the Jayapura Regional General Hospital (RSUD Jayapura) has procured a medical oxygen production machine from France. It is expected to arrive in Jayapura City, Papua in early August.

Along with the increase in Covid-19 patients, the need for oxygen to treat the patients continues to increase as well. Meanwhile, the availability of oxygen at the hospital is still limited. Therefore, it decided to purchase a medical oxygen production machine,, as stated by Aloysius Giayi, Director of the Jayapura Regional Hospital.

"Currently, the RSUD Jayapura requires around 200 oxygen tanks to treat Covid-19 patients and general patients. Meanwhile, the available oxygen tanks are very limited," Giyai said as quoted by Tempo from Teras.id, Thursday, July 22, 2021.

It would approximately take one week to install the machine. Giayi explained that after the installation, they will then be able to start to produce oxygen the following week. "We can produce around 300 tanks per day," he said

Deputy Director of RSUD Jayapura, Silwanus Sumule, who is also the spokesperson for the Covid-19 Task Force, said that starting in August, the Papua hospital will be able to produce its own oxygen.

"For now, we will only produce oxygen for the needs of Covid-19 patients at RSUD Jayapura. In the future, we hope to produce medical oxygen for other hospitals,” said Sumule.

Read: Papuans Urged to Keep Obeying Health Protocols amid COVID-19 Surge

MAGHVIRA ARZAQ KARIMA | Maudey K. Setyakusuma (Intern)