VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian Ministry of Health has asked hospitals across Indonesia to convert 40 percent of their health service capacity for COVID-19 treatment.

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin has issued a circular to all hospitals on the conversion of health services for COVID-19 handling, the ministry's director general of health services, Abdul Kadir, said at the West Merdeka 9 Forum here on Friday.

In addition to asking hospitals to convert 40 percent of inpatient rooms for COVID-19 treatment, the ministry has also asked all hospitals to convert 25 percent of ICU room capacity to provide ICU services to COVID-19 inpatients.

"This request is not only for government-owned hospitals, but also for all hospitals, whether they are regional public hospitals, TNI (military) and Polri (Police) hospitals, BUMN (state-owned) hospitals, or public hospitals," he added.

The decision has been taken owing to a spike in COVID-19 cases across Indonesia, which has burdened hospitals treating coronavirus patients.

"The circular is requesting all hospitals to increase capacity by converting 40 percent of inpatient rooms. If hospitals cannot put additional beds due to limited facilities, we are asking for conversion, how to shift the hospital beds that were previously for non-service services to serve COVID-19 patients now," Kadir said.

The current level of hospital bed usage for COVID-19 patients has reached around 64.83 percent nationally. Of approximately 81 thousand inpatient rooms, independent isolation rooms, and ICU rooms for COVID-19 patients, around 52 thousand have been filled, he informed.

However, in certain areas, especially those in the red zones, the occupancy rate of inpatient rooms for COVID-19 patients has reached between 80 percent and 89 percent, he added.

In DKI Jakarta, the occupancy rate of inpatient rooms has reached 82 percent. At the Emergency Hospital in Wisma Atlet, which only deals with COVID-19 cases, more than 80 percent of rooms are occupied, Kadir said.

Tangerang district head Ahmed Zaki Iskandar revealed that at present, about 90 percent of hospital beds are occupied by COVID-19 patients. (Antaranews)