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Acting deputy for population control at the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN), Dwi Listyawardani (front middle), at an event here on Friday (November 19, 2021). (ANTARA/HO-BKKBN)

The National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) has modified the family planning service program in hospitals to improve the public's interest in using contraception, the agency's population control acting deputy, Dwi Listyawardani, has said.

"The financing for family planning services has been dealt by health facilities without passing through the referral mechanism," she noted in an official statement released by BKKBN that ANTARA received here on Friday.

Currently, hospitals can carry out family planning services with BKKBN bearing the cost through the Family Planning Operation Cost (BOKB) mechanism, she said.

The budget for BOKB will be placed in the budget of the district or city Family Planning Regional Governmental Apparatus Organization (OPD), she informed.

The modification was done after BKKBN revived the use of family planning in hospitals in response to many people evincing interest in receiving family planning services, Listyawardani said.

People have been encountering difficulty in accessing family planning service centers, especially those living in regions, she noted.

According to BKKBN data, 30 percent of people are using oral contraceptives, 40 percent injections, 2 percent vasectomy, 10 percent IUDs (intrauterine devices), 15 percent implants, and 5 percent tubectomy for family planning.

"There will no longer be any problem in accessing family planning services anywhere, as long as the human resources in hospitals and health facilities have the competency," Listyawardani affirmed.

To realize this competency, BKKBN organized national training for40,000doctors and midwives from 2011 to 2015, she informed.

The training aimed to improve their competency in providing family planning services using Long-Term Contraception Methods (MKJP), she said.

In addition, BKKBN is developing the Gandarusa contraceptive pill for men, which is now in the clinical trial phase, while also developing a family planning pill with many benefits, she said.

The acting deputy expressed the hope that through these efforts, the number of family planning participants will increase and the program will cover more areas.

She said she also expected that the paradigm surrounding the concept of building a family will change.

If the paradigm changes, BKKBN's target to have 70 percent of mothers using contraceptives after labor could be achieved, she said adding, it could also help check the rise in stunting rate.

"At least, 70 percent of mothers after labor, when they return home, should already be wearing family planning. Whatever the methods are. At least, they bring pill as contraception before they wear MKJP," Listyawardani expounded.

Before this modification, family planning services were provided in hospitals through a referral mechanism, which resulted in a drastic decrease in these services, she said//ANT

A police officer stands guard at one of the security posts of the 2021 Mandalika World Superbike at Dasan Cermen Village, Mataram City, West Nusa Tenggara Province, on November 19, 2021. (ANTARA/HO-Mataram City Resort Police/uyu) 

The Mataram city police deployed its personnel at various locations of the city's entry points to secure the convening of the 2021 World Superbike (WSBK) at the Mandalika Circuit, Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).

As the main buffer area of the international racing venue, the resort police stationed 100 police personnel at 20 security posts.

"We have set up three inspection posts at Tembolak Pelangi Monument, Bintaro Village, and Dasan Cermen Village," Mataram City Police Chief Senior Commissioner Heri Wahyudi informed here on Friday.

The city police was assisted by local military and Transportation Office personnel to check the passengers and luggage brought of every passing vehicle.

"We also monitor the passengers’ health protocols," he said.

In addition to the three posts, security personnel were assigned at the former Selaparang Airport, which was one of the Transportation Office’s free shuttle bus pick-up points for WSBK spectators.

"We have assigned our personnel there to assist in checking the requirements for attending WSBK, such as tickets, COVID-19 antigen test results and vaccination certificates," Wahyudi stated.

The city police has also established an integrated security post at the Karang Jangkong Roundabout.

"It serves as a control center for traffic security and to disseminate information on the implementation of WSBK," he remarked.

Furthermore, he noted that three patrol teams were in charge all day amid the implementation of the international racing event.

"The first team comprised the Police Traffic Unit and Transportation Office that are assigned to oversee the traffic and manage any congestion," he informed.

The second team comprising the police, military, and public order agency (Satpol PP) will conduct routine night patrols.

"The last team is tasked with disseminating information on health protocols to the community as well as distributing free masks and hand sanitizers," he added.

In addition, the resort police deploys its personnel at each lodging, as guests have occupied all inns in Mataram City//ANT

Acting director general of disease prevention and handling at the Health Ministry, Maxi Rein Rondonuwu, at a webinar observed from here on Friday (November 19, 2021). (ANTARA/Sanya Dinda/FR) 

The Health Ministry will continue to transform the six pillars of the health sector, the ministry's acting director general of disease prevention and handling, Maxi Rein Rondonuwu, said at a webinar that ANTARA joined from here on Friday.

"Starting from primary services, we will truly strengthen puskesmas (public health centers) starting from their health education to primary and secondary prevention, including increasing the human resources there," he informed.

The government is currently striving to resolve the issue concerning the lack of health workers at puskesmas despite the fact that there are many graduates from health polytechnics, he said.

Health human resources management should be transformed, starting from health workers' assignment planning to their distribution, in order to cover all regions of Indonesia, he added.

In addition, the government will continue to transform referral services by making their access easier through network creation wherein the most chronic disease referral services will be in city centers, Rondonuwu informed.

"Then, we will transform the health system, as we learned from the pandemic that cities experienced difficulty with mask and protection equipment," he added.

"To this end, health device and pharmacy resiliency will be the option going forward in how we can manage independently," he said.

The government will drive the production of pharmaceutical and health equipment in regions, he added.

At the same time, emergency response services and reserve health human resources will also be bolstered by involving students, the army, and the police, the official said.

Health financing will also be transformed especially concerning improving the effectiveness of the Healthcare and Social Security Agency's (BPJS Kesehatan) financing, Rondonuwu said. In this case, BPJS will also participate in preventing the spread of diseases, he informed.

The ministry will transform the health technology, he added//ANT

Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, at the opening of 'Art Moments Jakarta 2' in Jakarta on Friday (November 19, 2021). (ANTARA/Maria Cicilia Galuh/KT)

Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno, has invited people to join hands to revive the art sector as it is one of the sectors that has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Uno, many art performances ranging from music, theater, to fine art exhibitions have been delayed and even canceled amid the pandemic.

"I invite all of us to together recover the art sector. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to innovate, adapt, and collaborate. Do not forget the fine arts sector," he said at the opening of 'Art Moments Jakarta 2' on Friday.

In October 2021, the Indonesian government allowed art performances and exhibitions after the enactment of Level 1 public activity restrictions (PPKM) in the Java-Bali region and set the maximum capacity for indoor and outdoor activities at 75 percent, the minister noted.

Temporary art activities, such as theater, music, and orchestra performances, can be carried out by limiting audience capacity to 50 percent and after obtaining a recommendation from the COVID-19 Task Force and the police, he said.

Uno affirmed that the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy has tried many endeavors to revive the art sector. All ideas presented by artists are accepted with open arms and support is given for art exhibitions and film and music festivals, he informed.

"The ministry greatly lauds all the ideas and works of all creative people in Indonesia to keep pushing the positive activities while applying the health protocols," he remarked.

As a form of adaptation to the pandemic situation, Uno asked artists to innovate and create new habits so that the general public can enjoy art performances, one of which is by organizing fine art exhibitions using the hybrid concept.

"It is one of the efforts to adapt to new habits, especially in the field of fine arts to reach a wider audience," he added.

Uno also invited all communities to realize national economic recovery together.

"We invite all parties to play an active role in recovering tourism and creative economy to open many jobs as possible," he said//ANT