A total of 100 doctors have died due to being infected with COVID-19.
Despite this, the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) is asking doctors and health workers to remain committed to serving humanity.
“Let’s pray that our fallen comrades get a glorious place with God Almighty, the families left behind are given patience, and their struggles inspire and become role models for all of us to remain committed to serving humanity,” wrote General Chairperson of the IDI Executive Board, Daeng Mohammad Faqih, on Twitter.
Apart from doctors, IDI also expressed deep sorrow for other health workers who had died in the midst of the pandemic. “My fellow doctors who have died in handling COVID-19 have reached 100. Likewise, other health workers who have died have also increased. We also need to pray for all our colleagues who are struggling to help care for our brothers and sisters with COVID-19,” Daeng continued.
“Hopefully, we are all be given health, safety, get protection and help from Allah SWT, and facilitate all its affairs.”
Based on IDI records, the number of doctor deaths has been increasing since the COVID-19 pandemic began. IDI data from 21st August recorded 86 doctors had died, with an increase of 14 in the last 10 days, bringing the toll to 100 deaths.
Statistics Indonesia (BPS) recorded the number of doctors in Indonesia in 2019 as 81,011 people. The largest distribution was concentrated on Java, particularly in DKI Jakarta with 11,365 doctors, East Java with 10,802, Central Java with 9,747, and West Java with 8,771 doctors each.
Indonesia’s COVID-19 data and information platform, Pandemic Talks, conducted an analysis of doctors’ deaths using IDI data as of 21st August. Pandemic Talks noted that the highest number of doctor deaths was in Java, with 65 percent.
“65 percent of the deaths have been on Java, 27 percent on Sumatra, 5 percent on Kalimantan, and 3 percent on Bali,” said the initiator of Pandemic Talks, Muhammad Kamil.
Source: CNN Indonesia