VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jakarta. Vice President Ma'ruf Amin pointed out that Indonesia continued to face health challenges posed by the triple burden of diseases whose cases are rising simultaneously.

That challenge does not include the transmission of COVID-19 that is still a pandemic in several countries, the vice president noted while giving instructions at the online peak commemorative event of World Tuberculosis Day 2021 on Wednesday.

"Apart from the current COVID-19 pandemic, we must admit that there are still several challenges in our health sector. We are currently facing a triple burden of diseases that have emerged simultaneously," Amin noted.

The three diseases whose cases are increasing concurrently are non-communicable diseases (PTM), classic infectious diseases, and new infectious diseases.

Non-communicable diseases in Indonesia have also experienced an epidemiological transition, with the number of cases increasing to over 50 percent.

“In more than 15 years, an epidemiological transition has occurred, with non-communicable diseases, such as heart diseases, stroke, and kidney failure, increasing to over 57 percent, from around 37 percent in the previous period," he remarked.

The epidemiological transition of non-communicable diseases calls for more serious attention and treatment, as the cost of treating them is the biggest burden on the National Health Insurance Program (JKN).

"Apart from being a major burden on the health financing of the JKN program, this non-communicable disease is actually caused by unhealthy behavior, such as unbalanced diet, lack of exercise, and smoking, which can actually be prevented," he pointed outs.

Hence, the vice president is optimistic that all parties related to health services would improve their performance by providing education and disseminating information to the public to lead a clean and healthy lifestyle. (Antaranews)

Jakarta. Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and tourism are viewed as having vast potential to become the country’s new forces in future to realize the vision of an advanced Indonesia.

"The government and BI (Bank Indonesia) share a common view that MSMEs and tourism have enormous potential to become a new power for the Indonesian economy in future," Deputy Governor of Bank Indonesia (BI) Sugeng stated during a Talk show on Tourism Village: A New Icon of Wonderful Indonesia on Wednesday.

In order to bolster the performance of these two sectors, the government and BI are synergizing to implement the 2021 Mutual Cooperation National Movement that covers the two themes of the National Movement on Proud of Made in Indonesia (BBI) and the National Movement of Proud to Travel #DiIndonesiaAja.

"The BI actively acts as a driving force in the two movements, with the theme of encouraging MSMEs and the tourism sector as the main forces towards advancing Indonesia through creative synergies," he noted.

BI and the related ministries and institutions have formulated a tourism development strategy termed the 3A2P that encompasses Access, Attractions, Amenities, Promotion, and Tourism Actors.

Sugeng expounded that access, development, and expansion of access to tourism destinations, including to village tourism destinations, must be conducted.

"In the field of attractions and amenities, we must provide a variety of unique and distinctive attractions, so that they can draw tourists. Moreover, we need to improve the quality and cleanliness of amenities," he stated.

In terms of promotion, Sugeng called to intensify tourism activities, including by conducting digital promotion. The last aspect concerns boosting the capacity of tourism workers to improve service standards, friendliness, concern for cleanliness, and polite conduct with tourists.

"This is since we are still from the COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, before developing all aspects of the 3A2P strategy, it is important to complete the CHSE certification. Completion of the CHSE certification will instill a sense of confidence among tourists that their visit will be safe and comfortable," he affirmed. (Antaranews)

Jakarta. President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) on Wednesday reviewed the distribution of vaccines and the implementation of vaccinations in Kao Sub-district, North Halmahera District, North Maluku Province.

"Today, I visit Kao Sub-district in North Halmahera District in North Maluku Province. Why did I come here? I want to ensure that the vaccine is evenly distributed up to the remote areas that are difficult to reach," Jokowi, accompanied by State Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir and Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi, stated.

The first phase of vaccination was started for healthcare workers, farmers, and market traders in Kao District whose population is less than 94,000 and is located some 112 kilometers from Sofifi, the capital of North Maluku. On the first day, the authorities administered 100 doses.

On the occasion, the head of state conversed with two vaccine recipients.

Based on data from the COVID-19 Task Force as of Tuesday (Mar 23), a total of 5,732,210 people have received the first dose, while 2,494,422 million people were administered the second dose.

The Indonesian government has set a target to vaccinate at least 181.5 million people to achieve a herd immunity against COVID-19.

Health Minister Budi Gunardi Sadikin stated in East Java on Tuesday that the ministry had secured a total of 360 million doses of vaccines for the nationwide implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination program.

The government announced the country's first confirmed COVID-19 cases on March 2, 2020.

As of March 24, 2021, the nation has reported a total of 1,471,225 confirmed cases, 1,304,921 recoveries, and 39,865 deaths. (Antaranews)

Jakarta.  President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has given instructions to Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi to start at least two flights a week to the Kuabang Airport in North Halmahera District of North Maluku Province.

"This morning, I have instructed the transportation minister to soon start operating at least two flights in a week to the Kuabang Airport. Thus, when the situation returns to normal, it would not be opened in such a quick way. It would be opened in stages, twice a week, and then increased to thrice a day," Jokowi remarked at the inauguration of the passenger terminal at the Kuabang Airport, North Halmahera District, North Maluku, on Wednesday.

Currently, the airport has yet to serve regular flights but has only served chartered flights due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before the pandemic, Jokowi noted that the airport had served two commercial flights a day.

Kuabang Airport was built with total investment of Rp300 billion (US$20.77 million). It has a runway spanning 2,400 meters and is expected to boost the tourism sector as well as other activities in North Maluku.

Jokowi noted that the development of infrastructure will support the expansion of new culture for the locals.

"We have to be disciplined, on time, to fly to other cities, or we will be left behind. This will create a new sense of discipline and new culture," Jokowi added.

Furthermore, infrastructure development will enhance the region's competitiveness and further increase its contribution to the national economy.

"This is something we have to know that developing infrastructure is not merely in terms of physical development but also developing competitiveness," Jokowi remarked. (Antaranews)