To help COVID-19 patients with moderate symptoms get oxygen, GoTo, the largest technology group in Indonesia, which houses Gojek, Tokopedia and GoTo Financial, together with the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) and Samator Group have established Rumah Oksigen Gotong Royong (Mutual Cooperation Oxygen House).
This facility will soon be opened in Pulogadung, East Jakarta, right next to the Samator Group factory area, on land provided by Master Steel and supported by PT Tripatra Engineers and Contractors – the company that has handled the construction of Oxygen House.
Rumah Oksigen Gotong Royong is the first semi-permanent health facility in Indonesia that is specially equipped with oxygen supply equipment and beds for COVID-19 patients with moderate symptoms (category 2).
The facility was initiated in an effort to work hand in hand and help each other in the GoTo Group ecosystem and to allow Kadin, Samator Group, strategic partners, the government and the wider community to collectively face the challenges of the pandemic.
On July 18, Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Minister Luhut Binsar Panjaitan reviewed the progress of the construction of Oxygen House.
He said, "I really appreciate GoTo, Kadin and the Samator Group for establishing Rumah Oksigen Gotong Royong. This is a good example of the active role of the private sector in helping the handling of COVID-19 for the sake of the people. We need to work together in facing COVID-19. This is our common challenge."
Kadin Chairman Arsjad Rasjid said, "Rumah Oksigen Gotong Royong is one of the efforts of the business world to support the handling of COVID-19. We see that the urgent thing in the midst of the current pandemic is the need for oxygen for residents suffering from COVID-19. Therefore, Rumah Oksigen Gotong Royong was established to provide a solution to the problem of the oxygen crisis that we are currently experiencing. This Oxygen House is one of the efforts and commitments of Kadin in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as efforts to accelerate the implementation of the Mutual Cooperation Vaccination Program. Kadin is grateful for the support of all parties in this Rumah Oksigen Gotong Royong in Pulogadung.”
Rachmat Harsono, President Director of PT Aneka Gas Industri Tbk said, "Rumah Oksigen Gotong Royong was established at one of our factory locations in Pulogadung to facilitate distribution for residents in need. Every day oxygen will be piped non-stop to meet the needs of Rumah Oksigen Gotong Royong and, furthermore, to respond to similar needs in other provinces, we will be ready to do the same thing in several of our factory locations spread across the archipelago, which allows for direct piping.”
“On July 16, the industry minister visited the location of Rumah Oksigen Gotong Royong, and he fully supports this private initiative. He encourages and facilitates steel factories that have oxygen-independent factories and oxygen producers, to do the same,” said Rachmat.
Andre Soelistyo, CEO of GoTo said, “The oxygen crisis that Indonesia is currently experiencing is partly due to the distribution, which is constrained by distance and time, as well as limited facilities and infrastructure. Rumah Oksigen Gotong Royong was initiated to minimize these obstacles by providing semi-permanent facilities that allow category 2 COVID-19 sufferers to have easy access to oxygen supplies, treatment beds and facilities [in conjunction with] various nearby hospitals. We really appreciate the solid collaboration with Samator Group in ensuring the availability of oxygen, Master Steel in providing land and Tripatra in the construction of Rumah Oksigen Gotong Royong in a short time.”
"This initiative is also inspired by the direction and spirit of the Coordinating Maritime Affairs and Investment Ministry, the Health Ministry and the Industry Ministry in handling the pandemic, so that we always look for effective solutions in helping people exposed to COVID-19," explained Andre.
Meanwhile Garibaldi Thohir, Commissioner of GoTo said, “GoTo, represented by young Indonesians, is very concerned about the emergency situation of this pandemic. They are not only present, but play an active role in providing support so that we can get through this difficult time together. The formulation of the concept and work on the Rumah Oksigen Gotong Royong, together with members of Kadin was carried out quickly and is expected to ease the burden on the government and society in handling the pandemic.”
Rumah Oksigen Gotong Royong, which will begin operation in the near future, will be accessible to the public through the Halodoc application. GoTo and Kadin are in the finalization stage for a partnership with the party that will manage the operation of Rumah Oksigen Gotong Royong with ability and experience in managing health facilities.
In addition to supplying oxygen to residents in need, Rumah Oksigen Gotong Royong is expected to help reduce the bed occupancy rate (BOR) of hospitals in Jakarta, which is currently around 85 percent. The location of Rumah Oksigen Gotong Royong in Pulogadung is close to a number of COVID-19 referral hospitals, so their existence will complement each other. If there are residents who are being treated at Rumah Oksigen Gotong Royong who are experiencing a deteriorating condition, they can be quickly sent to the COVID-19 referral hospital.
Andre Soelistyo added, “We hope that this joint effort can be a solution to the need for oxygen, in the midst of the limited supply of oxygen and the difficulty of obtaining oxygen cylinders at this time.”
“We invite all parties to do their best to support the handling of COVID-19 in Indonesia. We must join hands in dealing with this pandemic. Efforts that are carried out systematically and together will definitely provide wider benefits and impacts.”
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the GoTo Group has carried out systematic programs in three areas to support employees, partners, medical personnel, the wider community and the government in facing the challenges of COVID-19.
First are relief efforts, such as distributing food packages to partners, easing the operational burden of business partners, mitigating the cost of COVID-19 treatment, providing food packages and staple foods, fulfilling household electricity supplies, providing business capital assistance, distributing social assistance to the community and fundraising up to Rp 155 billion from the wider community to help overcome COVID-19.
Then second is prevention support, such as the distribution of health packages for driver partners; the distribution of hygiene packages for business partners, underprivileged communities and groups of informal sector workers; the sterilization of public facilities; and vaccinations for driver partners and SMEs.
And third is the treatment aspect, namely the establishment of Rumah Oksigen Gotong Royong, which supplies oxygen for residents suffering from COVID-19 with moderate symptoms.
