PALANGKA RAYA – PROTOCOL AND PUBLIC COMMUNICATION BUREAU. According to the President’s instruction to all Governors, Regents and Mayors in Indonesia on March 15, 2020, the Governor of Central Kalimantan Sugianto Sabran has taken follow-up steps, including an action on March 17, 2020, establishing Central Kalimantan in the status of Disaster Emergency Preparedness for COVID-19 or Corona Pandemic.

“Right now we are in a situation that demands the cooperation of all parties to overcome it,” said Governor in a Video Conference with Regional Leaders and the members of Regional Leadership Coordination Forum in Eka Hapakat Hall, Palangka Raya, Wednesday afternoon (03/18/2020).

Since it was first reported on December 31, 2019, COVID-19 has attacked 198,002 people in 152 countries and 7,961 of them died. The spread of COVID-19 has also occurred in 8 provinces in Indonesia, namely DKI Jakarta, West Java, Banten, Central Java, East Java, Bali, West Kalimantan, and North Sulawesi. “Until now in Central Kalimantan we have carried out isolation on 33 people who were determined as Patients under Monitoring who came from several Regencies / Cities,” explained Governor.

Of those 33 patients, as many as 17 people have been stated negative based on the laboratory examinations. The remaining 16 people, with details of 12 Patients under Monitoring are still in isolation in Doris Sylvanus Hospital and 4 people are in Sultan Imanuddin Pangkalan Bun Hospital. People under Monitoring and Patients under Monitoring in Central Kalimantan are in Palangka Raya City, East Kotawaringin Regency, West Kotawaringin Regency, Sukamara Regency, South Barito Regency, North Barito Regency, and Murung Raya Regency. However, Governor stressed that the number of people affected by COVID-19 and the number of Patients under Monitoring continues to move dynamically, so the data always change at any time.

Observing this matter, the Provincial Government of Central Kalimantan has taken the following steps:

1. Restricting the entrance to Central Kalimantan Province by examining body temperature for airplane passengers at Tjilik Riwut Airport in Palangka Raya, H. Assan Airport in Sampit, Iskandar Airport in Pangkalan Bun as well as for ship passengers at ports in Central Kalimantan Province.
2. Prohibiting crews of foreign ships to go ashore and forbiding Central Kalimantan residents to board foreign ships except officers who use personal protective equipment.
3. Determining the Disaster Emergency Preparedness Status for COVID-19 Pandemic in Central Kalimantan Province and forming the Task Force for the Acceleration of handling COVID-19 in Central Kalimantan Province which aims one of which is to increase regional resilience in the health sector. The Task Force is chaired by Leonard S. Ampung, Head of the Department of Housing, Settlements and Land of Central Kalimantan Province.
4. Central Kalimantan Provincial Government has budgeted an unexpected expenditure of Rp 50 million from the Pure Regional Budget and will be added in the Amended Regional Budget as needed.
5. Assigning 3 hospitals to handle COVID-19, namely Doris Sylvanus Hospital in Palangka Raya, Murjani Hospital in Sampit, and Sultan Imanuddin Hospital in Pangkalan Bun. In this regard, Governor asked the Regents to really prepare an isolation room for the suspected of Corona Virus and to take firm action against the hospital director who did not prepare it.
6. Making a plan to expand the capacity of the referral hospital for COVID-19 by determining Kalampangan Hospital in Palangka Raya as a special hospital for handling COVID-19 and setting up a quarantine center in Bapelkes (Health Training Centre) in Palangka Raya and Hajj Dormitory as in case of extraordinary things, while preparing human resources. Governor asked the Regents to budget the same thing, adjusted to their respective Regional Budget and talk with the Legislature.
7. Making a Central Kalimantan Governor’s Letter for public concerning Prevention and Anticipation of the Spread of COVID-19 in Central Kalimantan.
8. Making a Central Kalimantan Governor’s Instruction Letter on Prevention and Anticipation of the Spread of COVID-19 in Central Kalimantan.
9. Central Kalimantan Provincial Government prepares logistics needed for handling COVID-19 countermeasures, such as masks, personal protective equipment, health promotion materials, etc., which will be distributed by the Central Kalimantan Provincial Health Office to referral hospitals for COVID-19 and to Health Offices in Regencies and City.
10. Regents, Mayors and State Civil Apparatuses are prohibited to undertake official travel to and from affected areas (8 Provinces mentioned earlier). If the State Civil Apparatuses are ordered to work from home then anyone is prohibited to go on vacation or go to the tourist attractions.
11. Encouraging people not to travel to areas affected by COVID-19 and urge them to come to a health facility if they experience symptoms of cough, colds, and fever. Specifically at this point, the Governor stressed, for the poor in Central Kalimantan who have symptoms of cough, colds, and fever, the treatment provided in the provincial and regency / city governments is free.
12. Requesting religious leaders, traditional leaders, and community leaders to participate in socializing the Letter of Central Kalimantan Governor regarding Prevention and Anticipation of the Spread of COVID-19 in Central Kalimantan.
13. In terms of carrying out activities, in order to maintain an adequate distance of at least 1.5 meters between
14. Setting up a secretariat, media center and call center, among others through the Task Force for the Acceleration of Handling the COVID-19 Pandemic at Central Kalimantan Provincial For people who need information related to COVID-19 prevention and handling, can contact the cellphone number 082357720665, 08115230044, 08125086776, or contact the regency / city media center in Central Kalimantan.
15. Measuring body temperature in every Central Kalimantan Provincial Government offices.
16. Disinfecting all public areas, offices, houses of religious worship, educational facilities, and other public places.
17. Carrying out efforts to promote clean and healthy living through printed, electronic and social media, as well as direct counseling through community activities.
18. Suspending the process of teaching and learning at all levels of education in Central Kalimantan Province for 14 days from the date the Governor’s Instruction was issued and gave the students home
19. Temporarily closing tourist attractions and entertainment venues in Central Kalimantan Province.
20. Determining adjustment to all State Civil Apparatuses’ work system in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the Central Kalimantan Provincial Government.
21. Encouraging all people to pray to the Almighty Lord. For Muslims, do more istighfar, dhikr, give alms, and pray more to avoid COVID-19. The same thing is for other religions, do praying according to their respective religions.
22. Governor advised all Regents and Mayor to continuously keep socializing the Clean and Healthy Life Behavior, to the people in their respective regions. (dew/eka/translated by feb)