Why Bali may never be the same: Indonesian hospitals at breaking point with no beds and Covid patients left to die in taxis - as resorts stand empty
Indonesia may take years to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic with hospitals reaching breaking point and forced to turn away desperately sick patients.
Those living in the nation's capital who have been struck down with the virus have been seeking ICU beds only for some to be turned away from as many as ten different hospitals.
One 50-year-old man was riding in a taxi with his daughter on his way to his 11th hospital trying to seek treatment when he tragically died inside the car, gasping for breath.
The country's borders were shut again in December to deal with the outbreak and to stop dangerous mutant strains coming in from overseas, leaving the tourist-reliant economy on its knees.
Jakarta's death toll has now jumped to more than 27,000 after the city suffered its highest weekly number of fatalities in the week from January 11 to 17.
Passengers are seen waiting for a Covid-19 test in Jakarta in the days before Christmas. Hospitals in the Indonesian capital have nearly reached capacity
Those living in the Indonesian capital who have been struck down with the virus have been desperately seeking ICU beds only for some to be turned away from as many as ten different hospitals (pictured health workers are seen loading a coffin with a coronavirus victim into an ambulance in Jakarta)
Heartbreaking photos show healthcare workers loading coffins of coronavirus victims into ambulances - a grim but common sight in Jakarta.
The Jakarta government revealed that just 13 per cent of their 8,890 intensive care and isolation beds were free for Covid-19 patients.
LaporCOVID-19, a coronavirus data centre ran by volunteers in Indonesia, say they have been spending everyday trying to find hospital beds for those battling the virus - but most are completely full.
Irma Hidayana, who co-founded the organisation told The Australian her team had called more than 200 hospitals this week trying to find space for patients.
'Normally if you go to the hospital and it is determined that you're in a critical condition and need to be moved to better facilities, the hospital would find a place for you,' she said.
'Now hospitals are telling families they can't help them and they have to find an ICU bed for themselves.'
A deserted street in Kuta, Bali shows the devastating affect the coronavirus pandemic has had on Indonesia
The Jakarta government revealed that just 13 per cent of their 8,890 intensive care and isolation beds were free for Covid-19 patients (pictured medical staff wheel away a body in Jakarta)
Last week, Indonesia started rolling out its plan to vaccinate 181million of its 270million population
She said many families were forced to stand in a line and hope a bed would free up, only for most to give up and return home without any medical attention.
'The system is collapsed. One of the indicators is you see people physically standing - or sitting - in line trying to enter a hospital. That is happening now,' Dr Irma said.
Last week, Indonesia started rolling out its plan to vaccinate 181 million of its 270 million population.
The first doses of China's CoronaVac, which will be free to all Indonesians, will go to 1.3 million healthcare workers with President Joko Widodo receiving the first shot last Wednesday.
The island, which has been hammered by the epidemic, remains officially closed to overseas tourists but is home to many long-term residents from abroad.
Kuta Beach in Bali is seen nearly empty during the height of the pandemic in March with foreign tourists locked out
Bali's provincial governor Wayan Koster said the island will not reopen to tourists for many months.
'The situation in Indonesia is not yet conducive to allowing foreign tourists to visit Indonesia, including visiting Bali,' he said.
The Indonesian government predicted $14billion was lost from tourism in 2020 and introduced a $28billion in fiscal stimulus to fight the downturn.
Foreign tourist arrivals in Indonesia slumped 89.22 percent year-on-year to 164,970 in August 2020. Meanwhile, Bali arrivals plunged 100 percent to just 12.
Last week, Indonesia started rolling out its plan to vaccinate 181 million of its 270 million population (healthcare worker is vaccinated in Bali)