Covid-19 Claims Lives of 282 Indonesian Medical Workers

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The Covid-19 pandemic continues to take its toll on Indonesia’s health workers, more than eight months after it was first detected in the country last March.

The Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) noted that 282 doctors and nurses on the front lines combating Covid-19 have died after they contracted the disease.

“[The death toll] is made up of 168 doctors, including nine dentists, and 114 nurses,” said IDI Mitigation Team Chief Adib Khumaidin in a press release dated November 10.

 Also read: Covid-19 Death Toll Among Indonesian Medical Workers Reaches 228

“They included 84 general practitioners, 73 specialists, and two residents. Most of the fatalities come from the province of East Java with 36 doctors, followed by Jakarta with 26.”

Adib also paid tribute to the health workers for their dedication and tireless efforts in combating Covid-19.

"The health workers are heroes in the truest sense of the word in facing the [Covid-19] pandemic as they remained strong and brave in this time of fear. They show up to fight the coronavirus and often put their lives and those of their loved ones on the line,” said Adib.

"The least the public can do to acknowledge their sacrifice is comply with health protocols and provide moral and mental support.”

Adib also called on the government to provide the medical workers and their families with decent health care or ensure their wellbeing and provide other forms of support.

Also read: Indonesia's Covid-19 Health Worker Death Toll Sixth-Highest in the World

The IDI provided the statistics as the number of Covid-19 cases in Indonesia continued to surge.

“[Indonesia’s] Covid-19 cases currently stand at 444,378 on November 10 after it rose by 3,779 in 24 hours,” the Covid-19 Task Force said in the websites Covid19.go.id and Kemkes.go.id.

“14,761 of them died after an additional 79 people died of the coronavirus.” Yet the task force maintained that all is not lost. “The number of cured Covid-19 cases currently stands at 375,741 after their number increased by 3,475 people.”

But the task force said that the authorities still have their work cut out for them as 55,560 people are suspected of carrying the disease nationwide.

(Writers: Dian Erika Nugraheny, Achmad Nasrudin Yahya | Editors: Diamanty Meiliana, Kristian Erdianto)

Sources:

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/11/10/14333001/idi-sejak-maret-november-282-dokter-dan-perawat-meninggal-akibat-covid-19. 

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/11/10/16112231/update-10-november-ada-55560-kasus-suspek-covid-19-di-indonesia.