Gov’t Expands Telemedicine Service for COVID-19 Patients Diagnosed Using Antigen Test

Source: isoman.kemkes.go.id

Ministry of Health has expanded free self-isolation telemedicine service to not only cover patients with positive PCR test results but also those using antigen rapid test diagnostic tools.

“We’ve added another feature to the telemedicine service. Starting this afternoon, we’ll also cover patients who tested positive through the antigen rapid test,” Ministry of Health’s Expert Staff for Health Technology Setiaji said in Jakarta, Wednesday (02/16).

To obtain this service, patients must perform the antigen test at a health facility or lab affiliated with the Ministry’s New All Record (NAR) system.

If the test returns positive, the health facility or the lab must input the result into the system. Afterward, the patient will automatically receive a Whatsapp confirmation message. If the patient does not receive the confirmation message, the patient can check it manually at isoman.kemkes.go.id

The Whatsapp confirmation message can be used to consult a doctor and redeem a free medicine package. The medicine package is provided by state-owned pharmaceutical company Kimia Farma and delivered by SiCepat.

“Currently, we have sped up the service. The package should arrive within 24 hours,” he said.

In addition to adding features, Ministry of Health will also expand telemedicine services for self-isolated patients in the cities outside the islands of Java and Bali, namely in the cities of Medan, Palembang, Balikpapan, Banjarmasin, Manado, and Makassar.

For the record, the service aims to facilitate self-isolated patients to get health services and access to medicine with minimal health risks. Currently, a total of 17 platforms are providing telemedicine services.

From 17 January to 14 February 2022, there were around 391,978 positive COVID-19 patients in the Java-Bali regions. As many as 364,850 patients received the confirmation message and 158,075 patients contacted the telemedicine services.

For the medicine package, a total of 136,028 patients have received e-prescriptions, and 97 percent of them or 129,100 patients have redeemed the package. The package that most patients received was package B, which is a package for patients with mild symptoms.

“On average, most of the medicine packages are received by patients who live in Jakarta,” he said. (PR of Ministry of Health/UN) (FI/MUR)