President Jokowi: Free Medicines for Self-Isolated Patients Must be Distributed Right on Target

TNI Commander and Minister of State-Owned Enterprises deliver press statement after the launch of free self-isolation medicine package at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, Thursday (15/07). (Photo by: Bureau of Press, Media, and Information of Presidential Secretariat/Rusman)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has ordered the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) to coordinate the distribution of COVID-19 medicine packages for self-isolated patients and to ensure that the packages are distributed right on target.

“The President has ordered the TNI to distribute medicine packages to the people in the islands of Java and Bali, including to ensure that the medicines arrive in the hands of those in need of them,” TNI Commander Marshall Hadi Tjahjanto said after accompanying the President at the launch of free self-isolation medicine package, Thursday (15/07) at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta.

The Commander stated that for the first batch, 300,000 packages have been distributed to self-isolated patients in the islands of Java and Bali and 300,000 more packages will be distributed in the next batch for those outside Java island, adding that the packages are intended for patients with mild to no symptoms.

The Commander stressed that in distributing COVID-19 medicine packages, TNI, particularly the health division of military regional commands, military district commands, military subdistrict commands, and village supervisory non-commissioned personnel, will coordinate with regional governments, regional health agencies, and the police.

“In distributing the 300,000 packages in the first batch, village supervisory non-commissioned personnel will be accompanied by staff of the community health center or village midwives in the area. It is our hope that the interinstitutional collaboration will ease the burden of our brothers and sisters who are self-isolating,” he said.

This package distribution, the Commander added, is carried out based on the data on self-isolating COVID-19 patients from community health centers or village midwives.

“In accordance with the procedure, as the self-isolation is village-based, the community health centers or village midwives will triage, categorize them with no symptoms, mild, moderate, or severe symptoms, so they already have the data,” he said.

The Commander also urged self-isolating patients to report to the local health care workers so that they can receive the self-isolation package.

“I appeal to the people in villages, neighborhoods/hamlets, if you want to get the medicines, please contact the village midwives or the staff of community health centers. Once they have the data, village supervisory non-commissioned personnel will deliver the medicine package to those in need and they will be accompanied by village midwives or community health center staff in the delivery,” he said.

Closing his statement, the Commander also ensured that the TNI will oversee the distribution of the free self-isolation medicine package.

“As for storage, the medicine package will be stored in military district commands for monitoring and  in/out medicine registration,” he remarked. (TGH/UN) (DH/MUR)