VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jan. 28 - The Indonesian government spent Rp14.5 trillion on the treatment of COVID-19 patients at more than 1,600 hospitals across the country from March to December, 2020.

"Up till now the total amount that we have paid to 1,683 hospitals since March (2020) is more than Rp14.526 trillion, or close to Rp15 trillion," director general of Health Services at the Health Ministry, Abdul Kadir, said in a written statement at an event FMB9 monitored online in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Responding to a report that the government has not cleared COVID-19 service claims from privately-run hospitals, he said there was a technical obstacle to the disbursement of hospital claims submitted to the government in late December, 2020 due to the New Year holidays.

"We have not paid claims filed in January (2021), because the budget fund that we will pay to them is still being processed at the Finance Ministry. So the budget fund has not been disbursed," he said.

President director of Pertamedika Fathema Hospital, Djan Rachmat, confirmed the delay in the payment of hospital claims for the treatment of COVID-19 patients in January, 2021.

However, the state-owned hospital has so far faced no issues in claiming COVID-19 patients' bills from the government, he added. (Antaranews)

Jan. 27 - The second Covid-19 vaccination to President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo (Jokowi) reaffirms that the Sinovac vaccine is clean and halal.

"Through this second vaccination, President Joko Widodo has again provided assurance to all Indonesians that the Covid-19 vaccine is clean and halal," said Presidential spokesman, M. Fadjroel Rachman in a press statement received by RRI.co.id, Wednesday (27 / 1/2021).

Fadjroel explained according to the fatwa of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the vaccine is also safe and effective according to international standards through Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) issued by the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM).

"Once again, the President emphasized that Covid-19 vaccination for around 181.5 million people will be free of charge," he added.

Then, continued Fadjroel, after this second vaccination, President Jokowi also reminded the public to maintain health protocols even after getting vaccinated.

"Wear a mask, keep your distance, wash your hands, because that is the key," he concluded.

The second Covid-19 vaccination was carried out by President Joko Widodo on Wednesday. He has received the first vaccination on January 13, 2021.

The first and second vaccinations are also rolling out throughout Indonesia, followed by vaccinating the heads of provinces, districts, and cities as well as religious and community leaders in those areas.

Today's vaccination coincides with the start of vaccination for 1.4 million health workers throughout Indonesia as the front line in the global war to break the chain of the Covid-19 pandemic. (RRI)

Jan. 27 - Global coronavirus cases surpassed 100 million on Wednesday, according to a Reuters tally, as countries around the world struggle with new virus variants and vaccine shortfalls.

Almost 1.3% of the world’s population has now been infected with COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, and more than 2.1 million people have died.

One person has been infected every 7.7 seconds, on average, since the start of the year. Around 668,250 cases have been reported each day over the same period, and the global fatality rate stands at 2.15%.

The worst-affected countries – the United States, India, Brazil, Russia and the United Kingdom – make up more than half all reported COVID-19 cases but represent 28% of the global population, according to a Reuters analysis.

It took the world 11 months to record the first 50 million cases of the pandemic, compared to just three months for cases to double to 100 million.

Around 56 countries have begun vaccinating people for the coronavirus, administering at least 64 million doses. Israel leads the world on per capita vaccinations, inoculating 29% of its population with at least one dose.

UNITED STATES

With over 25 million cases, the United States has 25% of all reported COVID cases although it accounts for just 4% of the world’s population. The United States leads the world in the daily average number of new deaths reported, accounting for one in every five deaths reported worldwide each day. With just under 425,00 fatalities, the United States has reported almost twice as many deaths as Brazil, which has the second-highest death toll in the world.

As the worst-affected region in the world, Europe is currently reporting a million new infections about every four days and has reported nearly 30 million since the pandemic began. Britain on Tuesday reached 100,000 deaths.

The Eastern European region, including countries like Russia, Poland and Ukraine, contribute to nearly 10% of all global COVID-19 cases.

Despite securing deals for vaccine supplies early on, many European countries are facing delays in shipments from both Pfizer Inc and AstraZeneca Plc

ASIA AND AFRICA

In India, the nation with the second-highest number of cases, infections are decreasing, with almost 13,700 new infections reported on average each day - around 15% of its peak. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday India was completely self-reliant on coronavirus vaccine supplies as the world’s second-most populous country inoculated more than 1 million people within a week of starting its campaign.

China, which recently marked the first anniversary of the world’s first coronavirus lockdown in the central city of Wuhan, is facing its worst wave of local cases since March last year.

As richer nations race ahead with mass vaccination campaigns, Africa is still scrambling to secure supplies as it grapples with concerns about more-infectious variants of the virus first identified in South Africa and Britain.

According to the Reuters tally, African countries have nearly 3.5 million cases and over 85,000 deaths.

The South African variant, also known as 501Y.V2, is 50% more infectious and has been detected in at least 20 countries.

U.S. President Joe Biden will impose a ban on most non-U.S. citizens entering the country who have recently been in South Africa starting Saturday in a bid to contain the spread of a new variant of COVID-19.

Australia and New Zealand have fared better than most other developed economies during the pandemic through swift border closures, lockdowns, strict hotel quarantine for travellers and widespread testing and social distancing.

“We have the virus under control here in Australia, but we want to roll out the vaccine,” Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg told a news conference on Sunday. (Reuters)

Jan. 27 - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin has called on medical workers, who had yet to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, to get the shot without further ado.

"This has demonstrated that the first batch of vaccination can be completed fast and to motivate other medical workers in Indonesia to get the vaccine for those, who have yet to receive the first jab," Sadikin noted at the Presidential Palace complex, Jakarta, on Wednesday.

Sadikin received his second shot of Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine along with President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and some other public figures at the Merdeka Palace.

"The antibody will be formed one or two weeks after vaccination, and Insya Allah (God willing), they can work more comfortably because medical workers are among those at higher risk (of COVID-19)," he remarked.

Sadikin pointed out that the number of COVID-19 cases in Indonesia had surpassed one million as of January 26.

The minister has urged the public to continue to adhere to health protocols while the government would concomitantly work towards thwarting the infection by intensifying the tracing, testing, and treatment of the cases of coronavirus infections.

The government has targeted 181.5 million people to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and to create herd community against the novel coronavirus.

The government has ordered 329.5 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from China's Sinovac Biotech Ltd, US-Canada firm Novavax, British AstraZeneca and joint US-Germany pharmaceutical firm Pfizer BioNTech.

In its first stage, medical workers and non-medical workers at health facilities will be accorded priority in the vaccination program. (Antaranews)