In a written statement issued by the State Palace on Wednesday, Jokowi thanked the fallen health workers for “their hard work, unwavering dedication and professionalism” in the struggle against COVID-19.

Presidential spokesperson M. Fadjroel Rachman said the government urged everyone to take the necessary precautions against COVID-19 contagion, which included wearing masks in public, washing one’s hands and maintaining physical distance.

He said the government had provided a steady supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) and financial incentives for frontline health workers in the country.

However, the nation has, at times, struggled with PPE shortages and the nonpayment of financial incentives during the pandemic.

Read also: COVID-19 situation in Indonesia ‘under control’, Jokowi says

The Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) has reported that at least 100 doctors have died of COVID-19, as cases and fatalities mount throughout the archipelago.

IDI chairman Daeng M. Fiqih said the association had coordinated with the national COVID-19 task force and relevant departments to ensure the availability of PPE in hospitals and health facilities to prevent more deaths among health workers.

“Hospitals should issue a special policy that temporarily prohibits health personnel with comorbidities and those who are at higher risk from working,” he said.

Daeng added that health professionals should be required to take polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests regularly to ensure a safe working environment.