Jakarta. Online health applications have joined government’s coordinated measures to deal with Covid-19 epidemic by providing free home consultations to those in need. 

Doctors involved in the online services will advise users how to prevent them from contracting the virus, analyze if they develop symptoms and alert the government task force if they need further treatment at the hospital.

The services will be integrated with the government’s Covid-19 Task Force, according to Arya Sinulingga, a senior official with the State-Owned Enterprises Ministry.

“The Covid-19 Task Force has asked the SOE Ministry to coordinate health and medical apps for distance medical observations on patients with Covid-19 symptoms under self-imposed isolation. Patients can consult doctors through phone calls or apps,” Arya said in Jakarta on Friday.

The health apps include Halodoc, SehatQ, GrabHealth, Gojek, DokterSehat, Link and Link Sehat, Klikdokter, MouDok, Mau Periksa, Sociomile, Ripple10, YesDok, Prosehat, Perawatku, KlinikGO, Alodokter, Docquity, Qlue, Iykra, Jovee, Lifepack, and Eureka AI.

Tech company Data Enzim is tasked with integrating the services into digital call center called Sociomile, attached with the task force’s official website.

“Through the Sociomile, we will collect data of the patients who use this service and are being monitored by the app doctors,” Data Enzim representative Nicholas said.

If the patient’s condition is worsening, doctors will alert the task force for a visit and at-the-scene checkup to confirm if he or she has been infected by coronavirus.

From there, the medical personnel will decide if the patient has to be transferred to the government’s isolation facility at the Asian Games Village in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, be admitted to one of infectious disease hospitals or simply self-isolate at home under the supervision of the medical personnel and the app doctors.

“Patient with severe conditions will be treated at the hospital. Otherwise, the patient will get medical treatment at the Athlete Village makeshift hospital or self-isolate at home with assistance from the health apps and medical personnel,” Arya, the SOE Ministry official, said.

The government is currently recruiting volunteers to join the task force as medical personnel who will assist patients in self-imposed isolations, he said.

“We will equip the volunteers with personal protective equipment to ensure their safety,” he said.