PALANGKA RAYA – BUREAU OF PROTOCOL AND PUBLIC COMMUNICATION. A patient of Covid-19 (Corona Virus) in Central Kalimantan was recovered. One of the patients who was confirmed positive for Covid-19, Ergon Pranata Pieter (26) was recovered and allowed to go home from hospital. This was conveyed by the Director of Doris Sylvanus Regional Public Hospital Palangka Raya, dr. Yayu Indriaty in a press conference on Wednesday (1/4/2020).

“After undergoing a long isolation and being confirmed positive for Covid-19 on March 26, 2020, the patient underwent treatment and therapy, today the patient was declared negative “said dr. Yayu.

The press conference itself was held, according to dr. Yayu, to provide an overview of the patient’s care during isolation until he is recovered. “(Isolation) is not something that we should be afraid of because it is indeed a situation that we have to face that the patient is with us in the hospital, the goal is to prevent transmission to other people. This also aims to protect our society. This is the duty of the hospital too,” she said.

As one of the Covid-19 referral hospitals, Doris Sylvanus Hospital itself has a capacity of 38 beds and is still treating 28 Patients under Monitoring (PDP). So far, Doris Sylvanus Hospital has treated 80 PDP who are confirmed negative for Covid-19 and they are all already home. Meanwhile, there are 237 People under Monitoring (ODP) who have been served in outpatient clinics since the Emergency Response period. To date, 10 people have been confirmed positive for Covid-19 and 2 people have been recovered.

Ergon Pranata Pieter, in the press conference told that he had just returned from Bogor around February 28-29, 2020 and arrived in Palangka Raya on March 1, 2020. A few days after arriving from Bogor, this prospective Pastor at GPIB Ebenhaizer said that he had a fever, chills, a little cough, and vertigo. After being taken to the emergency room at Siloam Hospital and being observed, Ergon was declared PDP and referred to Doris Sylvanus Hospital on Tuesday (17/3/2020).

Ergon said that he had experienced psychological pressure while waiting for laboratory results. However, the doctors and nurses who treated him, said Ergon, always gave him motivation and support. In addition, the members of GPIB Ebenhizer also gave him support and are cooperative with the awareness of isolating themselves and taking medicine. “Their biggest support is that they do not stay away from me and keep praying for me,” said Ergon emphasizing that the patient’s recovery was also supported by those surrounding.

While being treated at the hospital, Ergon said that he also received the treatment for other ailments he suffered, such as abdominal pain and vertigo. In addition, patients are also allowed to use cellphones and are provided with air conditioner and television while isolated and cannot be visited by their families.

Ergon, who is the second Covid-19 recovered patient in Central Kalimantan, has motivated the community that this disease is not worse than a dengue fever, although this disease can be quite risky for those who are elderly, have congenital diseases, or have low immunity. “But if a person is healthy, even though gets infected, he/she can take care of him/herself at home by consuming nutritious food, maintaning healthy life, taking medicine and vitamins,” he said.

“There must be worries, but we need to conquer them. I was encouraged to have self-isolation because older people around me are very vulnerable. I knew there were old people next to me and they received intensive care, “added Ergon, who stayed next to the isolation room with his mentor, Pastor Hendri Tamaela.

The two of them are close contacts and have tested positive for Covid-19. Although they stayed close to each isolation room, both of them were not allowed to have direct contact but they can still communicate through telephone.

After being recovered and allowed to go home, Ergon was asked to isolate himself for 14 days, keep wearing a mask, especially when going outside, and keep a safe distance. For the Recovery Statement, Doris Sylvanus Regional Public Hospital coordinated with the Central Office of Health Research, the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia to give it to the recovered patient.

Furthermore, it was revealed by dr. Janet Siagian, a pulmonary specialist who is in charge answered Ergon’s care at the hospital, the patient was transferred from Covid-19 Poly to Wijaya Room Kusuma 1. Because the patient’s condition is not very good, his pulse was rather fast, had fever, and it was feared that there was a secondary infection, so the patient was infused and given antibiotics for 5 days, at besides being given other supporting medicine such as paracetamol. The patient was also given fruits such as bananas to boost his immunity so that the Corona Virus does not stick to the immune system.

“The patient was also given a dose of 200 mg of vitamin C to boost his immunity. The patient was cooperative. He just complained of dizziness. When the patient is tested positive, the intake remains the same but only antibiotics are given for 5 days,” added dr. Janet.

Further explained by dr. Janet, the patient was given the anti-virus Aluvia. Aluvia can be given 2×2 a day for 10-20 days so that the virus is no longer active in the patient’s body. However, the use of this drug must go through a doctor’s recommendation. As informed, this drug is widely used by patients in China and they were recovered. After recovering, according to dr. Janet, the patient will be monitored by the Health Office of Palangka Raya through the designated Community Health Center.

Explained by dr. Janet, HIV and Covid-19 are pretty much the same. However, HIV suppresses the immunity system so it doesn’t function at all. Meanwhile, Covid-19 or Corona Virus is a virus that has a crown. The crown infected the immunity system so it goes down. If the patient is given the anti-virus, that virus will be destroyed and died without a host cell. After the virus that attacked the respiratory organ is dead, the patient’s immune system can improve as evidenced by the results of laboratory. (Translated by Feb)

                                                             Bureau of Protocol and Public Communication

                                                         Regional Secretariate of Central Kalimantan Province