City Poures Rp 54 Billion to Combat COVID-19

The spread of coronavirus or COVID-19 is another key example of how an unexpected high-risk event can potentially have an impact on markets and the overall economy in a country, especially in Indonesia. 

The budget will touch two aspects, namely medical and public health efforts

As we can see in Jakarta as the capital city of Indonesia that continues to intensifies any ways to stop this dangerous virus. One of them is by allocating an unexpected budget in the amount of Rp 54 billion through Jakarta Health Agency.

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This statement was made by the Jakarta People's Welfare Assistant Catur Laswanto, who was also the Chairperson of the COVID-19 Response Team in a press conference at the royal audience hall, Jakarta City Hall, on Tuesday (3/10).

"The budget will touch two aspects, namely medical and public health efforts. These aspects include personal protective equipment and facilities/tools that can disinfect existing medical devices," he expressed, as quoted by Jakarta PPID's press release.

Response on the budget, Jakarta Regional Financial Management Agency Edi Sumantri explained the budget itself was under a legal basis, Government Regulation number 12/2019 which makes it possible to use budgets with criteria to deal with events that are beyond the region's capacity.

In addition, it was also to finance events which cannot be handled fast and will cause greater losses to the region.

"With the budget, we've cooperated with the Health Agency to handle coronavirus and will be in action in the near future," he explained.

Because of the spread of this virus is very fast, he added, one of the decisions to be made was related to entertainment shows and crowds, keeping the community to a minimum within the scope of the crowd becomes very important.

Therefore the city would cooperate with related stakeholders, namely Indonesian Lung Doctors Association, Indonesian Doctors Association (ID), Epidemiologist and others.

"This is to find the best steps, to reduce the possibility of transmission of coronavirus," he added.

On the other hand, Jakarta Health Agency Head Widyastuti, presented the latest data on the COVID-19 situation in Jakarta. Based on reports on Health Facilities in Jakarta and activities at the COVID-19 Response Post, there were 147 people seeking information via 112/119 and the COVID-19 Response Post.

The total number of people who have been consulted up to March 9 reached 3,727 people.

"There are Patients Under Supervision (PDP) who have been hospitalized as many as 70 and 80 others are still treated. Thus, until March 9, PDP reported by health facilities in Jakarta totaled 166 people. 68 are still being supervised and 310 others have been supervised. While the total number of People Under Monitoring (ODP) reaches 378 people," he explained.

Additionally, his side had referred 2 patients who were evacuated using AGD ambulances to referral hospital. Thus, the total number of evacuations until March 9 was 13 people.

"The Health Agency continues to socialize COVID-19 in various places and opportunities. This is driven by medics in Puskesmas. We urge people to remain calm but continue to be aware of the risk of spreading the virus," he said.