One Year’s Notes Dr. Reisa Broto Asmoro Becomes Government Spokesperson for Covid-19 and New Habit Adaptation Ambassador

Of course, the government continues to look for ways to prevent more deaths and ensure that people are increasingly safe from the threat of the Corona virus. Sample testing capacity (testing) has increased from 10 thousand to more than 50,000 samples daily. The number of laboratories has grown to about 800 laboratories across the country. This is a commitment to increase 3T (Testing, Tracing and Treatment) or tests, tracing and therapy that President Joko Widodo has emphasized since the beginning of the pandemic.

This upgrade was made possible with the support of tens of thousands tracers or a case tracking officer who is a combination of health workers, and police and TNI soldiers. Thousands of volunteers were also recruited and trained to support tracing, and various tasks that are usually carried out by Health workers. They work from the lowest level of health service providers, such as puskesmas to referral hospitals.

The pandemic has taken over nearly 90 percent of the services provided by any level of health facility. Recent reports show that handling the pandemic has added about 40 percent of the workload and operating hours of puskesmas across Indonesia.

After the government observed the back and forth flow, hospitals were again asked to increase their capacity by increasing the number of isolation wards and beds in their emergency rooms. Since January 2021, the government has had nearly 1000 referral hospitals, 10 times more than was the case in the initial phase of the pandemic.

In addition to hospitals, the Ministry of Health has added more than 8500 health workers to strengthen the current health services. This additional force consists of general practitioners, specialists, nurses and other support staff. Those are some of the statistics that the media loves. Numbers that can change overnight.

But it must also be remembered that the pandemic does not only affect those who are infected. Those who stay at home, diligently wear masks and wash their hands with soap as recommended are also still affected. Economic hardships hit Indonesian families coupled with new psychological challenges helping children learn online while working online.

With all the limited access to schools and changes in lifestyle behavior, including changes in nutritional intake patterns, children and other vulnerable populations are also faced with other health risks outside of Covid-19.

Before the pandemic, many Indonesian households could afford enough protein and other essential nutrients for their children. But when parents, the main breadwinners, have to live in temporary homes or have their pay cut due to fewer attendance at work, the daily menu, which was available all the time in the past, seems to be a luxury nowadays.

Because Puskesmas have to adjust their operating hours and workload, the coverage of routine basic immunization programs with additional nutritional intake for newborns and toddlers has fallen drastically. This condition can cause health problems in the future. Many hospitals are also avoided because parents are afraid to approach facilities where people with Covid-19 are being treated.

Many Indonesian children whose current health level is not well monitored. Thus, the increased risk of cases of malnourished children, stunting and mental health problems will arise if we let it.

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