COVID-19 Observation/Quarantine Facility in Galang Island to Complete by End of March

Construction of observation/isolation/quarantine facility for contagious diseases in Galang Island, Batam, Riau Islands Province. (Photo by: Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing)

The Government through Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing continues accelerating the construction of observation/isolation/quarantine facility for contagious diseases mitigation, particularly the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Galang Island, Batam, Riau Islands Province to meet completion target date set by President Joko “Jokowi” which is the end of March 2020.

“The construction progress reaches 78 percent and we are optimistic the facility can be completed on 28 March 2020. We have deployed 1,600 workers and all construction materials on the ground,” Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono said when inspecting the works.

For the record, the facility is built on 20 hectares of land in an area of total 80 hectares,  located 60 kilometers from Hang Nadim Airport and 56 kilometers from the city of Batam. Besides constructing   observation/isolation/quarantine facility, the Ministry is also building supporting facilities such as housing complex for doctors and nurses that is 80-percent complete, public kitchen, laundry room, warehouse, power house that is 97-percent complete, and other facilities.

The observation/isolation/quarantine facility will have a total capacity of 1,000 beds in which facility with a capacity of 360 beds was built during the First Phase and bigger facility with a capacity of 640 bed was constructed in the Second Phase. In addition, construction of isolation room for Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is 71-percent complete, Observation Building I (50 beds) is 56- percent complete, Observation Building II (50 beds) is 59 -percent complete, and Observation Building III (240 beds) is 64- percent complete.

In a bid to provide access to clean water in the facility, the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing has also installed raw water transmission pipes spanning 13.8 kilometers which is sourced from Monggak Rempang Dam. The works including reservoir dredging to increase water storage volume for the facility has been 100-percent complete.

On that occasion, the Minister also reminded workers to always comply with health protocols and safety aspects when carrying on their jobs particularly by maintaining spatial distance during communication.

In the meantime, the Ministry’s Director General for Management of Buildings Diana Kusumastuti said that various medical equipment will be transported to Galang Island by using the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNIS)’s aircrafts. (Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing/EN)

Translated by : Rany Anjany S
Reviewed by: Lulu Wuliarti