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Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto (ANTARA)

Jakarta - Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto highlighted the government’s plan to build a special facility to handle contagious diseases as a precautionary measure against an outbreak in the future.

"Hence, today's meeting is for brainstorming, collecting data on what's best for the future. Not for now," the minister stated at the Office of the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs in Jakarta on Friday.

He notified the press that during the meeting, the discussion centered on a particular place or island to host the planned facility to treat infectious diseases, such as the coronavirus.

He denied any rumor that the facility was required since the coronavirus outbreak would go on for a long time.

"No, it will not last long. When the climate changes, it will also change," he stated.

At least 100 islands have been mapped out as possible sites, but the meeting did not make a decision since it was the first of its kind held to discuss the matter, he remarked.

"Today, we spoke and discussed inputs for the coordinating minister later. We did not take any decision," he stated.

The former head of the Gatot Soebroto Jakarta Army Hospital stated that all aspects were taken into account in connection with preparations for the special facility.

"We studied all aspects pertaining to biology, politics, economy, defense, and security. All were reviewed. Hence, it was just brainstorming," he stated following the meeting.

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD had earlier chaired a meeting to discuss preparations to find an island or special place where a special facility will be built for infectious disease treatment.

The meeting was attended by several ministers and related officials, including Minister of Health Terawan Agus Putranto, Head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Doni Munardo, and Head of the Indonesian Defense Forces' Health Center Major General Bambang DH.

Mahfud expounded that the meeting was a follow-up to President Joko Widodo's directives on the likelihood of building a specific place to exclusively treat and control infectious diseases, such as coronavirus.

"On February 4, the president gave directives to mull over the possibility of building a certain place that is exclusive and used as a hospital to cope with infectious diseases, such as coronavirus and SARS," he added. (ANTARA)