VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Mar. 11 - Indonesia reported 5,633 additional COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours ending Wednesday afternoon, bringing the country’s total case tally to 1,398,578, the Health Ministry reported.

The number of new cases was slightly higher compared to recoveries, which rose by 5,556 to touch 1,216,433.

The highest increase in infections was reported in the three provinces of West Java (1,570), Jakarta (1,040), and East Java (399).

West Java also reported the highest number of new recoveries at 1,245, followed by Jakarta (827) and Central Java (645).

Jakarta led in the number of deaths at 45, followed by East Java (28) and Central Java (27).

As of 12 p.m. WIB (Western Indonesia Time) on Wednesday, the number of active cases, or patients under treatment for COVID-19, fell by 98 to reach 144,231.

According to the ministry, specimens from 93,016 people were examined on Wednesday, while the number of suspected cases reached 63,128. (Antaranews)

Mar. 11 - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) on Wednesday reviewed the administration of COVID-19 vaccinations to ulemas (Islamic clerics), interfaith leaders, and santri(Islamic students) in Semarang City, Central Java.

"We hope that those who have been vaccinated can be protected from being exposed to COVID-19 and religious activities can run well," the President remarked while reviewing mass vaccination activities at the Great Mosque of Central Java.

"We also hope that other provinces will also encourage and invite ulemas, interfaith leaders, and santri to be vaccinated," he added.

The government intends to intensify the vaccination program in order to achieve herd immunity, he said and explained that this would help immediately check the spread of COVID-19 so the nation can recover and return to normal conditions.

"We hope that every day more and more of our citizens are vaccinated. This will provide herd immunity. We hope that the rate of transmission of COVID-19 can be stopped, we can prevent it," Widodo said.

During his visit to Central Java, the President was accompanied by Airlangga Hartarto, chairman of the Committee for COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery, and the Governor of Central Java, Ganjar Pranowo.

Earlier on Wednesday, Widodo witnessed a vaccination drive in Yogyakarta.

The government is organizing COVID-19 vaccination programs with the objective of inoculating 181.5 million people, or 70 percent of the country's population.

Widodo said he is optimistic the national vaccination program will be completed within a year of its launch on January 13, 2021.

According to data from the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, the government has administered the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine to 3,337,026 people as of Tuesday (March 9, 2021), while 1,197,772 people have received the second dose. (Antaranews)

Mar. 11 - The Indonesian government has been earmarking Rp4 trillion-Rp5 trillion every year for disaster mitigation efforts in the country, director general of budget at the Finance Ministry, Askolani, said.

"Of course, the budget fund of Rp4 trillion to Rp5 trillion we set aside in the state budget is an initial indicator," he said during a coordination meeting on disaster mitigation in 2021, held at the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNBP) Building in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The funds are not always used up, depending on the scale of disasters, he informed.

If a huge disaster happens, the amount of mitigation funds is usually increased through debt rescheduling, he said.

"The funds originally planned in the state budget for repaying foreign debt and interest are reallocated for disaster mitigation efforts," he explained.

Disaster mitigation funds are disbursed under two funding schemes. Under one scheme, funding is distributed during the emergency response period through the BNPB, and under the second, funds are provided during the post-disaster period through rehabilitation and reconstruction programs, Askolani said.

The funds are channeled through ministries/institutions or regional governments in coordination with BNPB, he added.

He further praised the BNPB for successfully coordinating with several agencies to handle the impact of natural disasters so far.

"Through this model, alhamdulillah (thank God), with the presence of BNPB, the coordination has been far better and solid," he said.

He assured that the government always has sufficient funds to handle disasters.

"So there is no term like ‘no funds’," he remarked. (Antaranews)

Mar. 11 - The United States is committed to supporting the COVID-19 vaccine response in Indonesia through the COVAX Advance Market Commitment initiative, said Heather Variava, chargé d’affaires ad interim of the United States Mission to Indonesia.

Variava offered her congratulations to Indonesia on the successful arrival of 1,113,600 doses of AstraZeneca’s  COVID-19 vaccine on Monday (March 8, 2021) in a written statement issued by the US Embassy in Jakarta on Wednesday. 

The shipment was part of the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (COVAX AMC), a global initiative to support equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines.  It was the first shipment of the total of 11,704,800 doses that Indonesia is scheduled to receive via the COVAX facility.

Indonesia is the third country to receive vaccines through the COVAX facility in Southeast Asia after the Philippines and Cambodia.

"COVID-19 has proven that nations are stronger together when facing a global pandemic ... as opposed to acting in isolation," said Variava.

"Through our support to GAVI, the United States is working with partners and governments around the world to vaccinate vulnerable populations, reach those without other options, and help ensure that none of us have to face this challenge alone," she added.

The United States recently committed an initial US$2 billion — out of a total planned US$4 billion — to the COVAX AMC.

The United States’ contributions to COVAX AMC, through  the United States Agency for International Development (USAID),  will support direct purchase and delivery of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines for the world’s most vulnerable and at-risk populations in 92 countries, including Indonesia, according to the envoy.

A portion of those contributions will also support broader country readiness and vaccine service delivery, she said.

To date, the United States has committed US$11 million to support Indonesia’s efforts to reduce COVID-19 transmission, improve testing and treatment, and provide accurate and timely information about the pandemic to keep everyone protected from the disease.

The United States also donated one thousand ventilators that are currently in use at over 600 health facilities across Indonesia.

"We are committed to partnership with the government and people of Indonesia to save lives and work toward the safe reopening of the Indonesian economy," said Variava. (Antaranews)