VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

University of Indonesia (UI) will mass produce low-cost, pneumatic system-based local transport ventilators (COVENT-20), that cleared a production test, for the CMV and CPAP modes of ventilation at the Health Facility Security Agency (BPFK), Jakarta.

As quoted by Antara, Chief of the UI Ventilator Team Dr Basari, noted in a written statement released on Friday, that in the first stage, UI has targeted to produce one thousand ventilators in a month, to be distributed among COVID-19 referral hospitals, through collaboration aimed at raising funds from various parties, under the coordination of the Association of Alumni of the UI Technical Faculty (ILUNI FTUI).

COVENT-20 will later undergo pre-clinical animal testing, at the Indonesian Medical Education and Research Institute of the UI Medical School (IMERI FKUI), and clinical test at appointed hospitals, before being produced en masse with its industrial partner//Ant

The Indonesian Embassy in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, facilitated the return of 98 Indonesian workers back home, in the wake of the country having suspended several international flights, to stem the spread of COVID-19.

As quoted by Antara, Indonesian Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Sujatmiko, dispatched the workers aboard a special flight of the Royal Brunei Airlines on Friday, to return home.

Brunei Darussalam has suspended some international flights, including to and from Indonesia, since March 23 to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Sujatmiko noted that the special flight provided was emblematic of the cooperation, between the governments of Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam, and the Royal Brunei Airlines, has mirrored the government's concern on the condition of the Indonesian workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic//Ant

Some members of the Surabaya City Legislative Council (DPRD), emphasized forming a special committee to monitor handling of COVID-19 cases, following a spike in those exposed to the virus in the East Java provincial capital.

As quoted by Antara, Deputy Chairman of the Surabaya City Legislative Council A. Hermas Thony stated on Friday, that the city administration was less transparent in handling the COVID-19 outbreak.

He explained when the legislative council sought data from the Surabaya city administration, they never responded to the request properly.

The commissions in the legislative council, have summoned the city administration, but they never sent a report.

The proposal for setting up the special committee is part of the council’s efforts, to protect the public from the coronavirus crisis, he noted, adding that the special committee can cooperate with the Surabaya City Task Force for the Acceleration of COVID-19 Handling//Ant

The Indonesian Red Cross for Jakarta region (PMI Jakarta) expressed willingness, to collect blood of recovered COVID-19 patients, for trial of treatment using convalescent blood plasma, as proposed in Indonesia by Eijkman Molecular Biology Institute

As quoted by Antara News Agency, Salimar Salim, head of the transfusions unit at PMI Jakarta, expounded on Friday, that his side is ready to collect the blood plasma, yet PMI is currently awaiting official guidelines, apart from a minimum requirement of two weeks, after their symptoms resolve and only if they then test negative for COVID-19.

Salim revealed that the organization was currently also forging cooperation with the hospitals, since they have the data of patients that had recovered from the disease.

PMI Jakarta owns some seven blood plasma collection devices, of which three can be utilized for this plan, as well as the facilities to separate plasma from blood using the plasmapheresis method//Ant