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Ministry rushes to convert athletes village into COVID-19 hospital
Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimoeljono said on Sunday that construction work on the apartments had been completed and that the COVID-19 hospital would be operational by Monday.
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Members of the Indonesian Red Cross prepare to disinfect Wisma Atlet Kemayoran, an athletes village in Central Jakarta, on Saturday. The village is set to be converted into an emergency COVID-19 hospital. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
T
he Public Works and Housing Ministry is rushing to convert four apartment towers of Wisma Atlet Kemayoran, an athletes village in Central Jakarta, into a hospital to treat as many as 22,000 COVID-19 patients.
Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimoeljono said on Sunday that construction work on the apartments had been completed and that the COVID-19 hospital would be operational by Monday.
"One-hundred percent [of the work] has been completed, all that's left is the installation of equipment, which will be organized this afternoon," Basuki said at a press conference on Sunday. "Tonight is the dress rehearsal, tomorrow we will start operations."
State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir, who was also at the press conference, said that SOEs would supply the hospital with equipment and a telecommunications network.
“I am sure that if we are united, Insya Allah [God willing], we can get through anything well. I sincerely appreciate all those who have moved quickly to help the government to form this emergency hospital," Erick said.
Some 700 construction workers were deployed to convert the buildings and, on Saturday, the complex was sprayed with disinfectants by the Central Jakarta Red Cross.
With the rush of people checking for COVID-19, government hospitals in Jakarta are running out of wards, and with the number of confirmed patients expected to grow in the coming days, the government is expanding its infrastructure and facilities.
The 10-tower Wisma Atlet was built for the 2018 Asian Games, which Jakarta co-hosted with Palembang, South Sumatra.
The renovation involves seven state construction firms: PT Adhi Karya, PT Nindya Karya, PT Waskita Karya, PT Brantas Abipraya, PT Wijaya Karta and PT Pembangunan Perumahan and PT Bina Karya, the planning and supervision consultant.
Government spokesperson for COVID-19-related matters, Achmad Yurianto, said on Wednesday that the emergency hospital could be used for rapid testing. (mfp)
