Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI) presents a special broadcasting program to give education about COVID-19 issues. The program is broadcasted every Monday – Friday at 10.00-11.00 local time. The program which has the title “Belajar di RRI” or in English means “Learning at RRI”, presents teachers to teach on radio and also serve interactive question-answer.

President Director of RRI, M Rohanudin said, in a press statement monitored online at the National Disaster Management Agency Building, Jakarta, on Tuesday (14/4), that learning through radio is an effective way and more interactive if compared to learning online because of the advantages of radio which can turn on the theater of mind of students. Moreover, he said, this program also features pauses of one to two songs that are appropriate to the music for their segment. Since the program began on March 26-April 9, 2020, 715 schools, both elementary, junior high and high school have participated in the "Learning at RRI" program”.(VOI/trans-yati//Release/15.4’20.mar/AHM)

Chief of ADB Representative for Indonesia Winfried Wicklein (right). ANTARA

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) pledged to support inclusive development and boost the welfare of children and youths in Indonesia to fight the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

ADB Director for Indonesia Winfried Wicklein and UNICEF Representative for Indonesia Debora Comini inked a memorandum of understanding in Jakarta on Tuesday to bolster the partnership.

In line with the commitment, ADB will cooperate with UNICEF in intensifying various programs for Indonesian children, youths, women, and other less-fortunate community groups in sectors targeted at promoting social welfare.

The sectors comprise health, water, sanitation and cleanliness, education, nutrition, social protection, climate change and disaster mitigation.

The partnership will also support Indonesia's emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic including the procurement of vital medical equipment, such as personal protective equipment for medical workers in the country.

The COVID-19-related aid will be financed by a grant worth US$3 million from the ADB's Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund. ADB approved the grant on March 20, 2020, with UNICEF being one of the key partners to implement the program.

Wicklein pointed to the commitment being the first formal state-level agreement between the two institutions after their cooperation at a global level since several years.

"The ADB is thankful that it can cooperate with a strong and committed partner, such as UNICEF, in Indonesia, particularly in the midst of this very unusual situation, at a moment such as this, when the COVID-19 pandemic is having an adverse impact on public health and life," he stated.

He expounded that the cooperation will also enable both institutions to help the government promptly address the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak in Indonesia and support the priority medium- and long-term development in the country. (ANTARA)

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) pledged to support inclusive development and boost the welfare of children and youths in Indonesia to fight the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

ADB Director for Indonesia Winfried Wicklein and UNICEF Representative for Indonesia Debora Comini inked a memorandum of understanding in Jakarta on Tuesday to bolster the partnership.

In line with the commitment, ADB will cooperate with UNICEF in intensifying various programs for Indonesian children, youths, women, and other less-fortunate community groups in sectors targeted at promoting social welfare.

The sectors comprise health, water, sanitation and cleanliness, education, nutrition, social protection, climate change and disaster mitigation.

The partnership will also support Indonesia's emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic including the procurement of vital medical equipment, such as personal protective equipment for medical workers in the country.

The COVID-19-related aid will be financed by a grant worth US$3 million from the ADB's Asia Pacific Disaster Response Fund. ADB approved the grant on March 20, 2020, with UNICEF being one of the key partners to implement the program.

Wicklein pointed to the commitment being the first formal state-level agreement between the two institutions after their cooperation at a global level since several years.

"The ADB is thankful that it can cooperate with a strong and committed partner, such as UNICEF, in Indonesia, particularly in the midst of this very unusual situation, at a moment such as this, when the COVID-19 pandemic is having an adverse impact on public health and life," he stated.

He expounded that the cooperation will also enable both institutions to help the government promptly address the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak in Indonesia and support the priority medium- and long-term development in the country. (ANTARA)

Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi said on Tuesday that the solidarity shown by the ASEAN Plus Three member countries in handling the COVID-19 pandemic has sent an important message to the global community.

"In short, the main results that came out of the ASEAN Special Summit and the ASEAN Plus Three Summit once (again) showed the solidarity between their (member countries) leadership, their unity, in handling COVID-19. I think this message is important not only to the people of ASEAN Plus Three member countries but also to the world," said Foreign Minister Marsudi said.

Speaking in a video press conference after joining President Joko Widodo at the virtual ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Summit from the Bogor Presidential Palace in West Java on Tuesday, she said that in the midst of their domestic challenges, APT member countries have continued to uphold the spirit of cooperation, displaying leadership and unity in collectively handling the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease.

"Aside from staying united, we should also not rest easy once the numbers show a decline. We are also committed to bring all the existing ASEAN Plus Three mechanisms back to life, as well as (launch) new initiatives such as the ASEAN Response Fund," she said. (ANTARA)

File photo: Head of Indonesia's Task Force for Acceleration of COVID-19 Response, Doni Monardo, speaks to the press in Jakarta on March 23, 2020. (ANTARA)

Indonesia's COVID-19 task force will ramp up coronavirus testing by increasing capacity at 78 laboratories as there were just three such labs when the first case was reported in the country, an official said.

"We'd like to strengthen our labs' capacity for testing (for) coronavirus,” head of the Task Force for Acceleration of COVID-19 Response, Doni Monardo, said today at a press conference in Jakarta.

At least 25 laboratories have so far been utilized for coronavirus testing, he added. Some ministries, including the Health Ministry, the State-Owned Enterprises Ministry, the Research and Technology Ministry/the National Innovation and Research Agency (BRIN), will help the task force expand testing in Indonesia, Monardo informed.

Since the time the task force was established on March 13, less than two weeks after the first two coronavirus cases were detected, the special unit has distributed at least 800,000 rapid test kits, 725,000 pieces of protective gear, 13 million surgical masks, and 150,000 N95 surgical masks to medical workers in hospitals across the country.

The task force has also prepared 635 hospitals and 1,515 isolation rooms for patients presenting with severe symptoms and in critical condition. In addition, the authority has utilized two emergency hospitals for COVID-19 in Wisma Atlet, Jakarta and Pulau Galang island, Riau Islands Province, with a capacity of 2,000 patients and 400 patients, respectively.

Patients with acute health conditions remain a priority for emergency hospitals as "patients with mild symptoms can be treated at home”, Monardo pointed out.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Indonesia has risen to 4,839 as of April 14, with 459 patients succumbing to the infection. Of the total patients, 426 have made a complete recovery. (ANTARA)