Telemedicine helps contain Indonesia's 3rd wave of COVID-19*

A man wearing a face mask rides a scooter in Jakarta, capital of Indonesia on Feb. 17, 2022. (Xinhua/Xu Qin)

More than 40 percent of patients in Indonesia now use telemedicine, which can help prevent medical facilities from being overwhelmed amid the third wave of COVID-19.

by Hayati Nupus

JAKARTA, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Lala Yusuf, 29, lives in Semarang on the Indonesian island of Java. She fell sick at the beginning of February and has been self-isolating in her boarding house since. A swab test confirmed that she was infected with COVID-19.

The PCR test results were recorded in PeduliLindungi, the official test-and-trace app, and Yusuf was given access to the Ministry of Health telemedicine. In less than 24 hours, a courier came to deliver a package of medicines consisting of antivirals, multivitamins and paracetamol that had been prescribed by a doctor.

 

Staff members work at isolation rooms in Bandung, West Java, Indonesia, Feb. 17, 2022. (Photo by Septianjar/Xinhua)

"The process is quick and easy. The medicine is worth 1 million rupiahs (about 75 U.S. dollars), but was completely free," said Yusuf.

Meanwhile in Jakarta, university lecturer Tya Azhari, 42, is also self-isolated and consulted a doctor via the app. As she sees it, the telemedicine service is a breakthrough in public health. "The quality of the service is bound to improve in time," Azhari said.

 

Commuters wearing face masks arrive at a railway station in Bogor, West Java, Indonesia, Feb. 18, 2022. (Photo by Sandika Fadilah/Xinhua)

The Indonesian government wants everyone infected with COVID-19 to receive free medical services through 17 telemedicine providers, especially those who are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms, preventing facilities from being overwhelmed. Those with severe symptoms are still advised to go to the nearest medical center. More than 40 percent of patients now use telemedicine. Most tested positive but without symptoms.

Amid the third wave of COVID-19 in Indonesia, bed occupancy has remained below 40 percent of total capacity, while the daily infection rate peaked at 65,000 on Feb. 16 due to the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant.

 

* https://english.news.cn/20220225/2578fe36cac149ef8ab06d955cd33ef3/c.html