Health Agency Increases Test Capacity Building for COVID-19

Jakarta Health Agency began to increase the capacity of the COVID-19 test in a bid to anticipate the possibility of a positive case surge.

It will give peace for citizens in their activities

Various preparations in terms of health facilities and infrastructure related to COVID-19 and resources keep being optimized such as, tracing, testing, isolating and treating.

Widyastuti, Head of Jakarta Health Agency said the increased capacity for specimen examination through the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method was in line with World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations thus the government could detect cases early and suppress infection rates in the community.

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"It will give peace for citizens in their activities," she expressed, Saturday (6/13).

She explains, one of the efforts made is to develop several COVID-19 satellite laboratories located in a part of Pasar Minggu RSUD and Duren Sawit RSUK since April 9, including developing networks with 41 COVID-19 examination laboratories.

"In the past 10 days, as many as 17,270 PCR tests have been done with an average daily examination reaching 1,727 specimens," she explained.

According to her, it jumped 1.1 times compared to the daily average for the first 10 days of May 2020, which was 1,562 specimens per day.

"With this additional test, we would do 189,552 specimens on 90,287 people up to June 10," she told.

Based on the data, the highest PCR test in Jakarta in Indonesia, reaching 8,481 people per 1,000,000 inhabitants. It is in line with the national policy mandating that more tests be made through PCR.

"The government wants to know more about the real number of people with COVID-19 in Indonesia and set a target of PCR test about 20,000 specimens per day," she uttered.

As for the Puskesmas has been tracking, tracing cases and taking specimens in a swab way since January 2020.

"As a results, the first ODP and PDP case in Jakarta fell on January 24, 2020," she exclaimed.

By increasing the test capacity and a decrease in the number of COVID-19 patients hospitalized, they continue to increase tracing and testing capacity through active case finding.

"This active case finding strategy is stated in a circular letter about active case finding that aims to increase testing capacity a nd break the chain of transmission by finding positive cases as early as possible," she stated.

Aside that, she asserted, this transition period becomes a period of education and habituation of healthy and safe lifestyles according to the COVID-19 protocol. Thus citizens were urged to implement health protocols by wearing masks, wash hands with soap and running water, avoid touching the face area especially the eyes, nose and mouth and physical distancing at least one meter.

"People who need more information about COVID-19 may contact 112 or Jakarta Provincial Health Agency's Command Post at 081112112112 and 081388376955," she closed.