Gov’t Inaugurates COVID-19 Hospital in Bangka Belitung Province
Photo by: rsud.babelprov.go.id
Head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Doni Monardo, who also helms the national COVID-19 Task Force, together with Governor of Bangka Belitung Islands Erzaldi Rosman Djohan has inaugurated Ir. Soekarno COVID-19 General Hospital, Bangka Belitung Islands, Bangka Regency, Thursday (18/3).
“This COVID-19 referral hospital is expected to provide healthcare services for Bangka-Belitung people exposed to COVID-19,” Doni said.
The hospital was built using BNPB’s ready-to-use fund with 1.05 hectares of land. A total of 100 beds will be provided, with 25 beds for intensive care unit and 75 beds for mild cases or isolation treatment.
The hospital construction process took 45 days and was carried out through collaborative efforts among ministries / institutions, including Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing, Ministry of Health, and several State-Owned Enterprises.
“This is a form of collaboration in efforts to realize a national program, where emergency handling cannot stand alone,” he said.
Doni further said that the entire hospital development process, starting with the planning, also involved auditors from the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) up to the operational stages so that the development process can be carried out and accounted for properly.
“We hope that the whole process will run well, every penny of the State Budget that has been spent must be accounted for properly,” he said.
On that occasion, Doni also expressed appreciation for Bangka Belitung provincial government’s efforts to control COVID-19 transmission.
Data from the COVID-19 Task Force showed that as of 17 March, Bangka Belitung Islands Province has recorded 690 active cases, lower than that of the national average at 8.36 percent. The recovery rate of the province was 90 percent with the accumulation of 7,432 cases and 127 mortality cases, lower than that of the national average at 1.54 percent.
To that end, Doni appealed to all components of Bangka Belitung provincial government not to be complacent by the data, considering that consistency in implementing strict health protocols carried out by the Government and the community is the best way to tackle the COVID-19 as directed by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.
“Do not be careless. As the President always says, ‘be consistent’. It is not enough for us to remain disciplined in a day. Once we let our guard down in a day, an hour, or a minute, we can be infected by the COVID-19,” he remarked. (PR of BNPB/UN) (RIF/MUR)
