VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati won an award as Finance Minister of the Year for East Asia Pacific 2020, given by Global Markets Magazine.

"This title is a form of the seriousness and hard work of all levels of the Ministry of Finance in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia," Sri Mulyani said in a statement in Jakarta, Monday.

She said this award should be a trigger for improvement in fiscal management in Indonesia in facing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"This is because Indonesia's challenges are still tough and long ahead. This achievement shows that we are on the right track," she said.

This award is the second award received by Sri Mulyani from the same magazine, after receiving a similar award in 2018.

According to Global Markets magazine, Sri Mulyani deserves this award for her achievements in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia. Global Markets also appreciate the commitment to provide a fiscal stimulus in the form of social protection, tax incentives, loan guarantees, and subsidies for the business sectors that are the most affected.

The magazine stated that the decision to widen the deficit beyond the maximum limit stipulated in the law of three percent of GDP was not an easy step.

Global Markets is a leading news magazine in international economic markets, which in the last 30 years has become a reference for actors and institutions in the international economic and financial sector.

Previously, Sri Mulyani had also received several awards such as Best Minister of Finance for Asia 2006 by the Emerging Markets Forum at the IMF-World Bank Annual Meeting in Singapore in 2006.

In addition, Sri Mulyani was also named Best Minister of Finance 2006 by Euromoney Magazine and the most influential woman. 23rd in the world according to Forbes Magazine 2008.

The former Managing Director of the World Bank was also named the World's Best Minister at the World Government Summit in Dubai, February 2018. (Antaranews)

The government stated that it had secured the procurement of the COVID-19 vaccine for 135 million Indonesian citizens until 2021.

"In the planning for 2021, it is already secure for the needs of 135 million people with around 270 million vaccines. The rest will continue to be pushed for 2022," said Chairman of the Committee for Handling COVID-19 and National Economic Recovery who is also Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto in Jakarta, Monday.

He conveyed this after attending a limited meeting on the topic "Report of the Committee on Handling COVID-19 and National Economic Recovery" via a video conference.

"Then for the target recipients of vaccines, the government plans to receive vaccines at the forefront, such as paramedics, Indonesian Army, police, legal officers, and public services for 3.4 million people with a need for 6.9 million doses of vaccine," said Airlangga.

The details are at the forefront such as medical and paramedical contact tracing, Indonesian Army/Police public services, 3,497,737 legal officers with a need for 6,995,474 doses of vaccine, community (religious/community leaders), regional apparatus (sub-district, village) some economic actors totaled 5,624,010 people with a total of 11,248.00 doses of vaccine, all teachers staff (Kindergarten, Primary School, Junior High, Senior High, and universities) were 4,361,197 people with a total vaccine of 8,722,394 doses of vaccine.

Furthermore, 2,305,689 people for government officials (central, regional, and legislative) with a total of 4,611,734 doses of vaccine, BPJS participants, and Contribution Assistance Recipients of 86,622,867 people with 173,245,734 doses of vaccine, the community, and economic actors. Others who aged 19-59 years is 57,548,500 people with a vaccine need of 115,097,000 doses.

The total number of people targeted to receive the vaccine is 160 million people and the number of vaccines provided is 320 million doses.

"Regarding the procurement of vaccines, the government has issued Presidential Decree 99/2020 on Vaccine Procurement and the government has prepared the procurement of vaccines and now the Minister of Health and the Minister of BUMN are completing negotiations with Astra Zeneca and we are preparing to procure 100 million doses, for that we need a down payment of 50 percent or $250 million and IDR3.7 trillion," he said.

Besides that, we finalized it with several suppliers.

"We are finalizing with several distributors such as Sinovac with 143 million dosages, Cansino with about 100,000 dosages. They will cooperate with BioFarma," Airlangga said.

Several vaccines manufacturers have committed to supply vaccines, such as Sinovac, Sinopharm, and Cansino. Vaccine purchase and delivery will take place after phase three clinical trials are completed. Several other companies are still in the discussion stage, such as AstraZeneca, Novavas, Pfizer, and CEPI.

"Down payment is already for AstraZeneca, the others are currently under discussion. It is true that the Minister of Health, the Minister of BUMN, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs are on their way to discuss in more detail," he said.

Purchasing vaccines require an advance payment. Presidential Decree No. 99/2020 provides a basis for the government to make an advance payment for the purchase of vaccines, which are still in the completion stage of clinical trials. Funds for the purchase of vaccines have been budgeted and become part of the PEN budget. From Sinovac, it is estimated that in 2020 to get around 18 million doses and in 2021 about 125 million doses.

"From Sinopharm, it is estimated that in December around 15 million doses and 50 million doses next year, while Cansino is planned for next year at 15 million doses, and AstraZeneca at 100 million doses," he said.

Regarding the Red and White vaccine, the Minister of Research and Technology, Minister of Health, and Minister of Finance is ensuring the availability of human resources budget and infrastructure to ensure the smooth development of the vaccine until production is targeted for mid-2021. (Antaranews)

The government has updated the new data on the number of positive cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19) in Indonesia. The addition of positive cases in Indonesia today, Monday (12/10/2020) was recorded as many as 3,267 cases.

With this increase, the accumulated number of COVID-19 cases in Indonesia has now reached 336,716 cases since the announcement of the first case on March 2, 2020.

Patients confirmed positive for COVID-19 who have been declared cured continue to grow. Until Monday (12/10/2020) at 12.00 WIB, the government recorded that 258,519 patients had recovered in the country. 

From the data distributed by the COVID-19 Handling Task Force, an additional 3,492 patients recovered in the last 24 hours. They have declared cured twice after being tested negative for the coronavirus based on the results of examinations through the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method.

Unfortunately, government data also shows an increase in patients who have died due to COVID-19. Noted, the death cases released by covid-19.go.id, increased 91 fatalities, bringing the total to 11,935 people died.

Meanwhile, the number of suspects recorded in Indonesia to date is 154,532 cases. (RRI)

The government ordered 50 million COVID-19 vaccines in the first phase of the 100 million commitments produced by Aztra Zeneca of the UK.

"Now the Minister of Health, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of BUMN is leaving to prepare 50 million ordered and paid for," said the Head of the COVID-19 and National Economic Recovery (PC-PEN) Team Airlangga Hartarto at an online press conference in Jakarta, Monday.

The government previously budgeted an advance payment for the procurement of the vaccine of IDR 3.7 trillion for 2020. On the other hand, he continued, in the rest of this year, there would also be 30 million vaccines available from four companies Cansino, Sinovac, Sinopharm, and Aztra Seneca.

Furthermore, the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs added that the procurement of other vaccines will also be supplied by Bio Farma.

The government has issued Presidential Regulation Number 99 of 2020 regarding the procurement of the COVID-19 vaccine, which is estimated to be 160 million vaccines whose vaccination activities will be carried out in stages until 2022.

"We have to secure the procurement of vaccines because 215 (countries) are pursuing vaccines so it is approximately secure for 160 million doses for two times," he said.

With the need for vaccination of twice the dose, the total need for the COVID-19 vaccine reaches 320 million doses. The priority scale for recipients of COVID-19 vaccination is medical and paramedical, health services including the TNI, Polri, and legal officers, around 3.5 million.

Then, there are five million community leaders, religious leaders to regional apparatus, 4.3 million educators ranging from Early Childhood Education (PAUD), TK, SD, SMP to lecturers from private and state universities.

Furthermore, 2.3 million national and regional government and legislative officials, and BPJS Health premium aid recipients 96 million people, totaling 102 million people.

In addition, he continued, the target recipients of vaccination are people aged 19-59 years, so that the total number of people reaches 160 million people. (Antaranews)