Once used to host athletes, the Athletes Village in Jakarta turned to Emergency Hospital for the COVID-19 outbreak. (Image via Grid.ID)

Jakarta's Athletes Village turned hospital for COVID-19 emergency

Starting Monday, the Athletes Village in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, will be turned to Emergency Hospital for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The President of Indonesia himself, Joko Widodo, is expected to monitor the readiness of the Athletes Village.

Previously, the Athletes Village was used in the 2018 Asian Games for the accommodation of the athletes both foreign and domestic.

The plan to use the Athletes Village as Emergency Hospital was unveiled by Jokowi in a press conference next week. Besides an Emergency Hospital, the 10-tower building will also serve as an isolation place for COVID-19 patients. Previously, the Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani, also hinted the plan to turn the Athletes Village into Emergency Hospital, as it has the facilities from electricity, water, and beds.

With a total of 7,426 units, each unit has two bedrooms, a kitchen, a living room, a bathroom, and a laundry room, let alone the bed, wardrobe, chairs and tables, air conditioner, and water heater in every bathroom.

The Athletes Village will not be limited to the patients with COVID-19 symptoms, but also patients without symptoms, the potential for transmitting the disease to others.

The Minister of Public Works and Housing, Basuki Hadimuljono, said that renovation and preparation of laboratory, pharmaceutical, radiology, and ICU had finished. Medical teams from Health Ministry had also ordered training for people traffic, assisted by Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI), Police Force, and volunteers under the COVID-19 task force.

Basuki said that from 10 towers, four towers on Blok D10 will be used as Emergency Hospital.

Source: https://bit.ly/2Ubitgt