VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Agus Dwi Susanto, chairman of the Indonesian Pulmonologists' Association (PDPI) - 

Five medical professional organizations appealed to the government to impose community activity restriction measures (PPKM) in a comprehensive and simultaneous manner, especially on Java Island, following a spike in COVID-19 cases.

"The government has to be stern in imposing complete and simultaneous PPKM and must ensure that the implementation runs well," Agus Dwi Susanto, the Indonesian Pulmonologists' Association (PDPI) chairman, notified the press here on Friday.

Stringent implementation of PPKM will be able to lower the transmission of COVID-19 infections, he affirmed.

"If we do not implement PPKM strictly, an accretion of patients will occur at the hospital, thereby leading to a collapse of health services," he stated.

The PDPI chairman expressed hope that what had transpired in India would not occur in Indonesia.

"Hence, we must push the government to implement PPKM on a large and strict scale, so that transmission can be reduced in the community," Susanto noted.

The five medical professional organizations -- the PDPI, Indonesian Association of Internal Medicine Specialists (PAPDI), Indonesian Pediatrician Association (IDAI), Indonesian Cardiovascular Specialist Association (Perki), and Association of Indonesian Anesthesiologists and Intensive Therapists (Perdatin) -- submitted a five-point recommendation to the government.

According to the first recommendation, the central government should implement PPKM comprehensively and concurrently on the island of Java.

Secondly, the government or the concerned authorities must ensure optimal implementation of PPKM.

Thirdly, the government or relevant authorities should expedite matters and ensure that vaccination targets are achieved in line with the standards.

Fourthly, every party must be cognizant of the new variants of COVID-19 that spread more easily, may further exacerbate symptoms, may further increase mortality, and may eliminate the effect of the vaccine.

Under the last recommendation, the people must always continue to wear masks, keep their distance, wash their hands, stay at home except for urgent matters, maintain their health, and follow other health protocols//ANT