The day originated from the Covid-19 outbreak at the end of 2019. The outbreak, which started in China, quickly spread throughout the world, claiming millions of victims and leaving the world shocked and overwhelmed. The World Health Organization (WHO) as of August 9, 2023 recorded more than 760 million cases of Covid-19 with 6.9 million deaths worldwide. The actual figure is thought to be much higher.
After months of research, world epidemic experts have concluded that Covid-19 can be overcome quickly if the world is well-prepared. Thus, the International Day of Epidemic Preparedness is intended to highlight the importance of prevention, preparedness, and partnership in fighting epidemics.
Until recently, the Covid-19 virus is still circulating throughout the globe with various new variants. Casualties are still falling, although the death rate is much lower. The impact of the outbreak is still being felt today. The Covid-19 outbreak has wreaked havoc on long-term social and economic development. The global health crisis has disrupted global supply chains and caused disproportionate damage to the livelihoods of people, including women and children, as well as the economies of the poorest and most vulnerable countries.
In Indonesia, the number of Covid-19 cases has recently started to show signs of increasing, even though Indonesia is said to be one of the quite successful countries in dealing with Covid-19. Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said the number of cases has now reached 2800 per week. This is indeed not much compared to the peak of the highest daily Covid-19 cases on January 30, 2020, which reached 14,528.
But something big generally starts with small things. For this reason, Indonesian Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin appealed to the public to be alert and re-implement health protocols. This includes avoiding crowds, maintaining cleanliness such as washing hands or using cleaning fluid, wearing a mask, and receiving the Covid-19 vaccine as a form of preparedness.
Observing the history of pandemics throughout the world, new outbreaks may emerge in the future, perhaps even with a much higher level of intensity and severity.
Specifically for Indonesia, building a strong and long-lasting health system is the responsibility of the elected president and vice president in the upcoming 2024 election.
