President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has praised the development of the telemedicine application that he termed "hospital without walls" to support the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia.

"I laud the development of this app that has yet to be further promoted. We have the 'hospital without walls' telemedicine application," the president stated at the opening of a teleconference meeting to discuss the COVID-19 handling task force report from the Merdeka Palace here on Monday.

"This is what sets us apart from other countries. Not all people have to visit the doctor, hospital, or public health centers, but they can seek help through the telemedicine application," Jokowi pointed out. Jokowi remarked that online medical consultation will also curb the risk of coronavirus transmission among health workers. 

Speaking in connection with the handling of COVID-19 patients, the president has instructed the health minister to improve its management, so that not all patients would require hospitalization. Jokowi stated that patients not needing intensive care can self-isolate at home//ANT

The Indonesian Transportation Ministry planned to increase the ticket price ceiling (TBA) and price floor (TBB) for air transports following the enforcement of the large-scale social restrictions or PSBBin several regions.

The ministry’s Air Transports Director-General Novie Riyanto said the adjustment of the airfare is based on the ministerial regulation No. 18/2020 on the transportation control to prevent the spread of the 2019 coronavirus disease or COVID-19, which was issued on April 9.

Based on Article 14, the number of passengers during the PSBB is limited by up to 50 percent of the capacity. Thus, the tariff of the scheduled commercial flights will likely increase by two times from the current prices. 

“We have calculated that it seems a passenger pays for two tickets. So the price hike is almost two folds,” Novie explained in Jakarta on Sunday, April 12.

He set a target that the minister will agree on the price revision in the near future so that airlines could immediately implement new tariffs. This policy was expected as a stimulus for airlines that were forced to limit passenger numbers. He expected the adjusted tariff will be valid three days after the request is granted.

The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) secretary Agus Suyatno considered the government’s policy to increase the ticket price ceiling and price floor was in point to reduce the spread of the Covid-19.

“Especially ahead of the Eid al-Fitr holidays, when the population movement for the mass exodus (mudik) likely increases,” Agus added. (tempo.co)

The Association of Indonesian Economists (ISEI) has donated Rp530 million to charity foundations helping fight the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

"Our appreciation to ISEI for its concern in the fight against COVID-19," Nasyith Madjidi, chairman of Dompet Dhuafa Foundation, one of the foundations receiving the donation, said in a statement, in Jakarta on Sunday.

Dompet Dhuafa has offered free services for those needing medical treatment due to the COVID-19 infection by readying eight hospitals, 21 medical clinics, 30 ambulances, five hearses, 200 zones of services, and 15 thousand volunteers.

The donation was handed over by ISEI Chairperson Pery Warjiyo via video conference to Dompet Dhuafa and other charity foundations on Saturday.

"We appreciate the medical workers who battle the COVID-19. We prioritize this donation for the medical team, personal protective equipment, and others," Pery Warjiyo, who is also the Governor of Bank Indonesia(BI), said.

Besides Dompet Dhuafa, ISEI also gave donation to the Association of Private Hospitals (ARSI) (Rp100 million), Muhammadiyah Hospital (Rp100 million), Bhayangkara Police Hospital (Rp50 million), South Bangka Hospital (Rp100 million), and Indonesia's Doctors Association (IDI) Bogor Branch (Rp50 million), among others.

Dompet Dhuafa (DD) has so far distributed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers in 50 hospitals in various regions, medical devices (Alkes), hygiene kits, rapid tests, distribution of basic food items, worship packages, disinfectant spraying, psychosocial services and others.

In addition, DD also prepared a field hospital and container hospital, and deploy a special response team for COVID-19 prevention.

ARSI Chairwoman Susi Suli stated that currently there are 1,800 private hospitals in Indonesia, or some 68 percent of the total hospitals existing in the country.

"We thank ISEI for the donation," she said. (ANTARA)

Medical workers in RSPI Sulianti Saroso. (ANTARA

Jakarta's Sulianti Saroso Infectious Disease Hospital (RSPI) treated 11 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 15 patients under surveillance (PDP) on Sunday, a decline from 13 cases on last Monday (April 6).

Of the total 26 patients, three positive COVID-19 patients were treated in the intensive care room, while the rest are treated in negative pressure isolation rooms.

Since treating COVID-19 patients for the first case to date, RSPI Sulianti Saroso has treated 123 people comprising 64 PDPs and 59 positive COVID-19 patients,

Of the total, 74 patients had recovered and been discharged from the hospital, while 23 people died while in treatment.

In the last 24 hours, there were no new cases, no recovery, no new deaths.

RSPI Sulianti Saroso also treated six people under monitoring (ODP), bringing the total number of ODP cases to 2,865 ODP since the first COVID-19 case announced in Indonesia on March 2.

Based on data as of Saturday, the number of positive cases of COVID-19 in Indonesia reached 3,842 people, including 286 people recovering and 327 people who had died of the infection.

Based on data from the World Health Organization (WHO) as of April 11, 2020, the total COVID-19 cases in the world have reached 1,614,951 including 99,887 deaths. (ANTARA)