Jakarta. Siloam International Hospitals has officially launched two hospitals designated for Covid-19 patients with a combined capacity of more than 630 beds, as Greater Jakarta is increasingly at the risk of exceeding its hospital capacity with new confirmed cases growing at a faster pace in recent days.

Indonesia has reported more than 4,500 confirmed cases in all 34 provinces as of Monday, with Greater Jakarta accounting for around 60 percent. Daily new cases has been increasing by more than 300 over the last three days.

The two hospitals in South Jakarta and Tangerang District have been well-equipped and in full operational readiness, Siloam Hospitals director Anang Prayudi said on Monday.

The company’s all 39 hospitals across the country are also ready to perform swab tests, he said.

Anang said the hospital management has decided to fully support the government’s mitigation measures by establishing new facilities for Covid-19 patients and adding medical workers at a time when new cases continue to surge.

Earlier this month, Health Minister Terawan Agus Putranto issued a decision stating that the government will cover the costs of medical treatment for all Covid-19 patients. However, the government funding won’t be sufficient to cover all the costs spent by private hospitals who don’t receive subsidies and financial support from the state budget, Anang said.

Siloam has decided to support the government by opening the Covid-19 hospitals and filling the gap between the Health Ministry’s funding and the actual costs without charging the patients.

“That is the decision taken by Siloam,” Anang said in Jakarta.

Siloam’s first Covid-19 hospital is located on Jalan Kelapa Dua 1001, Tangerang, Banten, with a capacity of 214 beds plus another 21 beds in the intensive care unit. Contact number for the facility is 0852-11332181.

The second facility is Siloam Mampang, on Jalan Mampang Prapatan Raya 12, South Jakarta, with 415 beds. Its ICU has additional 18 beds. Direct call to Siloam Mampang can go to 0813-98677821.

The health minister decision dated April 6 stipulates that hospitals treating Covid-19 patients may ask reimbursement from the government.

On the other hand, very few insurance companies provide protection from the pandemic, Anang said.

"This is very encouraging that the cost of any [Covid-19] patient, including foreigners, is shouldered by the government," Anang said.

Siloam gives its full support to the government policy although the reimbursement may not cover all the cost it spent on treating Covid-19 patients, he said. Anang stressed that the two Covid-19 hospitals won’t collect private payment or lodge insurance claim – they will ask government reimbursement instead.

“There will be only a single payment method: reimbursement according to the health minister decision," Anang said.

The decision has come into an immediate effect so that Covid-19 patients or “patient under investigation” can now be admitted to the facilities in Kelapa Dua and Mampang.

Swab Test

The Health Ministry has appointed Siloam Hospitals as part of the country’s authorized entities to perform the swab tests during the pandemic.

All 39 Siloam hospitals across the country are ready to conduct the paid test, especially the Siloam Lippo Village Hospital in Tangerang, where the group’s laboratory center is located, Anang said.

The group offers three packages based on the duration the results will be delivered: seven days, 72 hours and 24 hours, he said.

“This service is intended for individuals or a group of participants, for example a company who wants to have its employees tested,” Anang said.

Doctors, nurses, first responders and other medical workers on the frontline of the Covid-19 mitigation are encouraged to undergo the tests. People who have had contacts with positive patients need to have the swab test too, he said.

Rapid testing kits are available at all Siloam branches nationwide for those who want quicker results, he said. These kits work on the antibody level, which naturally increases during a viral infection. However, it requires another test to confirm if the infection is caused by the novel coronavirus.