730 Indonesian Doctors Died During Pandemic, a Monument Erected in Jakarta

TheIndonesia.id - Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) immortalized 730 doctors who died while on duty during the COVID-19 pandemic at the Indonesian Doctors Struggle Monument at Jalan GSSY Ratulangie 29, Menteng, Central Jakarta. The monument is erected in IDI's secretariat courtyard.

"Doctors have played a big role in the journey of the pandemic until this moment. I express my deepest gratitude and appreciation for the dedication and struggle of 730 doctors who died in the line of duty. They are Indonesian health heroes," said Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin in a virtual speech. at the Opening of the Indonesian Doctors Service Monument in Jakarta, Thursday afternoon, March 17, 2022.

Through the Indonesian Doctors Struggle Monument, Budi invites the public to continue to remember the fallen doctors. "Let's continue to fight, work guilelessly, to be heroes for our families, heroes for others, heroes for the nation and state," he said.

The monument with the pattern of flames as high as 270 centimeters and 120 centimeters in diameter in the courtyard of the Executive Board of the Indonesian Doctors Association (PB-IDI) secretariat was initiated by the IDI organization in 2022.

Chairman of PB IDI Daeng M Faqih at the inauguration of the monument in Jakarta said the pandemic that has been running for two years in Indonesia has shaken the health world.

"A situation that causes doctors to experience emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress," he said.

On the other hand, said Daeng, the death rate for doctors in Indonesia in the COVID-19 situation based on data from the COVID-19 Handling Task Force and the IDI Mitigation Team as of 9 September 2021 reached 730 cases. Psychologically, said Daeng, this fact puts more pressure and burden on doctors when providing services to the community.

He said that the medical profession always prioritizes the principles of humanity followed by integrity and capability during their study to the practice of becoming a doctor. "So in the end, even the humanitarian tragedy caused by COVID-19 did not shake his professional attitude as a doctor," he said.

According to Daeng, the monument was placed in the courtyard of the Indonesian Doctors' Big House so that the dedication flames of the COVID-19 fighters will always be a reminder for all the medical professionals who are still struggling to provide the best for the nation.

The monument created by the sculptor Yani Mariani Sastranegara presents in the shape of fire as a symbol of energy, firmness, and enthusiasm. "In addition, fire is also able to provide warmth and light. In this monument, we present fire in the form of stylization by changing the depiction and formation of an object into a new form. We can see the process of simplifying the form, but without leaving the character and shape of the fire as the original object," said Yani.