VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Mar. 12 - The World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Union (EU) today launched a new partnership to support the COVID-19 response in Indonesia and strengthen the country’s health system to prepare for future health emergencies, as part of the WHO-EU ‘South East Asia Health Pandemic Response and Preparedness’ programme.

The partnership was officially launched in a virtual event today by the Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia Budi Gunadi Sadikin, the EU Ambassador for Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam Vincent Piket, and WHO Representative for Indonesia Dr N. Paranietharan.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is an urgent reminder that a robust and resilient health system is a sound investment for a thriving economy and a key pillar to national and global health security. We thank the EU for their critical support to the COVID-19 response and we look forward to joining forces with the Ministry of Health to build back a more resilient health system to prepare for future health emergencies,” said Dr N. Paranietharan, WHO Representative for Indonesia, in his opening remarks.

"For the European Union, global cooperation and solidarity will be the only chance to defeat the virus everywhere and to start a sustainable global recovery. Today we are launching a new action on health pandemic preparedness to further support Indonesia in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic and its consequences," noted EU Ambassador Vincent Piket. "In addition, Team Europe has already pledged EUR 2.2 billion to the COVAX Facility to ensure that everyone has access to safe and equitable vaccines," he said.

In Indonesia, ‘Team Europe’ provides support of over EUR 200 million, financing new COVID‑19 response and public health programmes, amplifying civil society’s assistance to vulnerable communities, as well as strengthening the health sector and pandemic preparedness in the longer term. The EU is providing EUR 2.66 million for the WHO in Indonesia, in particular, as part of its EUR 20 million funding for the WHO COVID-19 response in Southeast Asia. In line with the Government of Indonesia’s national COVID-19 response plan, the WHO will use the funds to support the Ministry of Health to suppress community transmission and maintain essential health services to reduce preventable diseases and deaths.

In his remarks, Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin welcomed the WHO-EU Partnership and appreciated the initiative to contribute in implementing the COVID-19 control approach in Indonesia, including, most importantly, the strengthening of Indonesia’s health system ecosystem to be more resilient.

In this occasion, Minister Sadikin also underlined the COVID-19 as a global health threat. He reiterated that “In the borderless world as it is today, it is imperative for the world to work together in solidarity to end the pandemic and build a better world afterwards. This Partnership embodies the synergy of Multilateral Cooperation, regional and country level,” said Minister Sadikin.

Beyond the COVID-19 response, the WHO will use the funds to continue building on the work of improving primary health care and national surveillance, training of medical personnel and community health workers, and supporting the development of evidence-based policies that are grounded in science. (VOI)