IDI mitigation team chief Adib Khumaidi said the rising number of doctor fatalities showed that the public was still ignoring COVID-19 prevention measures, including wearing masks, washing hands regularly and physical distancing.

“We understand that there are economic needs being considered. However, as the front line against the COVID-19 pandemic, we ask the public to be more disciplined in following health protocols in their daily activities,” Adib said in a statement on Friday.

Adib said public ignorance would not only prolong the health crisis but would also create a long-term negative effect on the economy, which observers said was already on the brink of recession.

“Indonesia has not even reached the peak of the pandemic’s first wave due to the massive lack of discipline [in implementing] health protocols. If this continues, Indonesia will become the COVID-19 epicenter of the world."

According to IDI data, 62 of the 117 Indonesian doctors who died of COVID-19 were general practitioners, 53 were specialists, and the remaining two were hospital residents.

East Java recorded the highest number of COVID-19 doctor fatalities with 30, followed by North Sumatra with 21, Jakarta with 16, West Java with 11 and Central Java with eight.

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