Indonesian Hospital Explains Why Info on Covid-19 Cases Withheld

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President-director of the Sulianti Saroso hospital (RSPI Sulianti Saroso), Mohammad Syahril, explained that information on the country’s first two coronavirus or Covid-19 cases from Depok was briefly withheld from the public due to certain laws that oversee certain specific nationwide outbreaks.

In a statement made at the RSPI Sulianti Saroso, Mohammad Syahril said “This is an outbreak, an extraordinary event (KLB) which is overseen by regulations appointing specific people who are allowed to break the information first. I, myself as a president-director am not allowed to reveal it. The president himself announces the situation,” he said today, March 4.

Previously, Syahril, the head of the local neighborhood unit (RT) where the coronavirus patients live found it regrettable that the crucial information was not shared with him and that he was informed about the patients from mass media. 

According to Syahril, hospital management is also barred from notifying the patients themselves before President Jokowi is briefed about the issue. He said that the patients are only told about the truth after the president has officially made a public announcement in regards to the coronavirus patients. 

Indonesia officially announced its first of two Covid-19 cases on Monday. The coronavirus ‘case 01’ and ‘case 02’ patients are a mother and daughter who are now being treated under intensive care at the Sulianti Saroso hospital (RSPI Sulianti Saroso).

RSPI Sulianti Saroso joins the plethora of hospitals appointed to handle cases of Covid-19 infections, namely RS Fatmawati, RSPAD Gatot Soebroto, RS Polri Said Soekanto, RS Pasar Minggu, RS Cengkareng, and RS TNI AL Mintohardjo.

ANTARA