T

he COVID-19 rapid response task force has called for an additional 1,500 doctors and 2,500 nurses to treat COVID-19 patients amid the surge in cases across the archipelago.

“Indonesia currently needs around 1,500 doctors, especially pulmonologists, anesthetists and general physicians, as well as 2,500 nurses,” COVID-19 task force volunteer coordinator Andre Rahadian told a media briefing on Thursday.

In addition to more doctors and nurses, Andre said that hospitals urgently needed more laboratory staff, administrative staff and ambulance drivers.

He suggested that students in their final year of medical school would form the “second front line” in preventing the spread of COVID-1 by providing “medical and [mental health] consultations through an online platform”.

The COVID-19 task force is working in collaboration with various universities and NGOs. Anyone interested in volunteering may sign up through the task force’s official website.

Earlier on Thursday, Education and Culture Minister Nadiem Makarim called on medical school students across the country to join the task force’s volunteer program.

“Our country is currently at war against an invisible enemy that is moving fast and threatening human lives. Therefore, I ask all people to join the fight to defeat this enemy,” Nadiem said on Thursday in Jakarta during a COVID-19 video conference with students.

In response to the calls made by the task force, at least 15,000 medical students nationwide are ready to be deployed in the country’s fight against COVID-19, according to House of Representatives Commission X overseeing education, and the Education and Culture Ministry.

The chairman of House Commission X overseeing education, and the Education and Culture Ministry, Syaiful Huda, said students from 158 universities had signed up to the ministry to help the nation’s fight against the Corona virus.

“This is good news because many places are expected to soon have a shortage of medical workers, as COVID-19 cases escalate,” Syaiful said in a statement on Thursday.

Nadiem separately said he felt “touched” after hearing the willingness of the 15,000 students to volunteer in the COVID-19 fight. Apart from mobilizing university students, the ministry has also prepared laboratories to test more samples from people suspected of having contracted COVID-19, and turned some of its facilities into isolation wards.

There are currently 13 medical schools and 13 educational hospitals appointed by the Health Ministry to be COVID-19 test labs.

It has also prepared an educational hospital to be ready to treat COVID-19 patients.

Syaiful called on the government to train the volunteers and equip them with personal protective gear to do the volunteer work.

“This is important because they are our children. We don’t want them to get infected,” he said, adding that not only medical staff, but the rapid response team was also in need of volunteers for hospital administration staff and ambulance drivers.

Indonesia’s nationwide figures as of Friday stood at 893 confirmed cases, with 103 new case and 78 deaths. The country recorded the highest number of deaths on March 26, with 20 people dying of the disease. (aly)