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COVID-19: Here's how to receive treatment at Jakarta’s makeshift hospital
The facility also prioritizes COVID-19 patients, elderly suspects and suspects with mild to moderate breathing problems, says Jakarta Military commander and hospital head Maj. Gen. Eko Margiyono. However, he says patients with severe and worsening symptoms would be referred to another hospital.
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Medical workers check equipment that is used to treat coronavirus patients at the Kemayoran athletes village makeshift hospital for COVID-19 cases in Central Jakarta on March 23, 2020. (Antara/Pool/Hafidz Mubarak A)
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fter opening on Tuesday, Jakarta’s makeshift emergency hospital for COVID-19 has so far received 208 patients, according to the hospital head.
The hospital, which has the capacity to treat 3,000 people, utilizes four out 10 towers of the Kemayoran athletes village in Central Jakarta. Two towers are currently being used to treat patients.
Jakarta Military commander and hospital head Maj. Gen. Eko Margiyono said the hospital would not accept patients younger than 15 years old. The facility also prioritizes COVID-19 patients, elderly suspects and suspects with mild to moderate breathing problems.
However, he said patients with severe and worsening symptoms would be referred to another hospital.
Read also: COVID-19: Ministry studies plan to use hotels as accommodation for medical staff
“There were some patients who came here and [we] referred [them] to other referral hospitals later because [their initial] examinations showed severe symptoms,” Eko said at a press conference on Thursday.
“Patients who have mild symptoms but carry other complications would also be referred to other hospitals because the [makeshift] hospital is not designed to handle other diseases,” Eko added.
He explained that patients who wanted to be examined at the hospital could come and register themselves. Alternatively, patients who cannot go to the hospital by themselves can also call the COVID-19 hotline on 199, where they can request a transfer service to the hospital.
“The other way is by referral. Private hospitals that are no longer able to accommodate patients can refer some of them to our hospital, but we hope that there is an initial examination so that when we receive the patients, we already have preliminary data,” Eko said.
Read also: COVID-19: Ministry to develop temporary hospitals in several regions
As of Wednesday, Indonesia had recorded 790 cases of COVID-19 with 58 fatalities and 31 recoveries. Jakarta has the large majority of the cases with 463, including 31 in the region who have died and 23 who have recovered.
The makeshift hospital uses the former athletes village, which was used during the 2018 Asian Games.
The makeshift facility is aimed at increasing the capital’s healthcare capability, as Jakarta’s regional leaders communication forum (Frokompimda DKI Jakarta) estimated that, in a worst-case scenario, as many as 8000 people in the capital city would be infected by the coronavirus.
Since it was opened on Tuesday, patients from Greater Jakarta have been lining up for examination at the makeshift COVID-19 hospital, but Eko said the hospital even received patients from outside the region.
“The hospital was originally designed to accommodate patients in Greater Jakarta, but in reality, on the first day, there were patients who came from Surabaya and Semarang. But still, we accepted them,” he added. (mfp)
