Category: Deputy II

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COVID-19 Deputy II News

Govt To Ensure Hospital Beds Availability Amid Concerns Over COVID-19 New Variants

The Senior Advisor to the Presidential Chief of Staff, Abraham Wirotomo.

Jakarta – Indonesian government is closely supervising its hospital bed capacity, drugs and oxygen supplies, preparing the 273,5 million populated nation for the new COVID-19 variants.

Abraham Wirotomo, Senior Advisor to the Presidential Chief of Staff, emphasized that the government has sent a clear message to the public, saying that omicron BA.4 and BA.5 sub variants should not be taken lightly.

“We must not be careless, we don’t want to be stumbled near the finish line,” said Abraham, in Jakarta, Monday (13/6).

Indonesia has been witnessing another surge on COVID-19 cases since the Eid Al Fitr holiday season last May. The Health Ministry reported that as of June 9, 2022, there were an additional 556 cases, adding to more than a total of 6 million infections in the country so far. Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants are deemed to be the cause of the surge.

However, the surge in COVID-19 cases in Indonesia is still well monitored and under control. The positivity rate and case transmission rates are reportedly low. Nevertheless, the public must still adhere to health protocols and get themselves completely vaccinated.

“The increase of cases should be seen as a warning. In order to keep Indonesia on track towards an endemic, we shall not ignore the importance of health protocols and booster vaccines,” he said.

Abraham also constantly invites all elements of society to continue to support health protocols and vaccines. So that the pandemic can end this year.

The new sub variants of Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 have been detected in Indonesia, firstly reported on June 6. These sub variants are known to have low morbidity rates in confirmed positive patients.

The BA.4 and BA.5 firstly emerged at the close of 2021 in South Africa. They are the latest variants of Covid-19 that, like all viruses, continue to adapt to an increasingly immune population.  

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COVID-19 Deputies Deputy II News Task Forces

Shifting From Pandemic to Endemic, KSP: Govt Will Not Hastily Declare Transitions

Senior Advisor of the Executive Office of the President (KSP) Abraham Wirotomo.

Jakarta – Despite improvement in COVID-19 situations, the Indonesian government will not rush to decide the shifting of status, from the pandemic to the endemic. Prior to making a decision, the government will always refer to data science and careful calculations, the Senior Advisor of the Executive Office of the President (KSP) Abraham Wirotomo ensured.

“There’s no need to be in a hurry to declare the shift from the pandemic to the endemic. We should pay attention to the precautionary aspect, instead,” said Abraham, at the Bina Graha building, Jakarta, Wednesday (2/3).

“It’s obvious that the president doesn’t want us to return to the crisis situation during the earlier period of the pandemic,” he said.

Abraham said the government always closely monitors the development of COVID-19 in Indonesia and in other countries. In addition, some experts also took part in every policy decision making, especially regarding the situation of the pandemic.

“Improving conditions proved by the scientific data and expert analysis will determine the implementation of the relaxation policy,” he said.

Data from the Health Ministry states that the number of COVID-19 cases continue to decline. 

As of Tuesday (1/3), the national Bed Occupancy Rate for COVID-19 patients fell to 34 percent from the previous day, which was at 35 percent. Likewise, the daily COVID-19 cases also dropped to 24,728 cases.

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Deputy II News

KSP Ready To Support Religious Affairs Ministerial Regulation On Sexual Violence Eradication

Deputy Chief of Staff for Human Development of the Executive Office of the President, Abetnego Tarigan.

Jakarta – The Executive Office of the President (KSP) stands to support the Religious Affairs Ministry in issuing a ministerial regulation on the prevention and handling of sexual violence in religious-based educational institutions. It was part of the government commitment to eliminate sexual violence, especially in educational institutions, said Deputy Chief of Staff for Human Development of KSP Abetnego Tarigan.

“There is an urgency to encourage the Ministerial Regulation on the Elimination of Sexual Violence in every education units under the Ministry of Religious Affairs. It is based on the fact that sexual violence also occurs in religious-based schools,” said Abetnego during a meeting with the Secretary General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Jakarta, Wednesday (12/1).

This regulation came as a response towards the rise of sexual violences in religious-based schools. The recent rape and impregnation of 12 students at the Manarul Huda Islamic Boarding School Foundation and the Madani Islamic Boarding School in Bandung, West Java, has prompted calls for a national reckoning on rape culture.

“KSP pays attention to national priority programs and strategic issues. Therefore, KSP is ready to support the Ministry in formulating the regulation and to bridge the public communication regarding the matter,” continued Abetnego.

Earlier on December 27, the Director General of Islamic Education Muhammad Ali Ramdhani said that the Ministry of Religious Affairs would soon draft the regulation and it was expected to be completed in early 2022.

“It is currently in the process of being drafted at the Directorate General of Islamic Education. We wish KSP and other related ministerial offices/institutions will help to supervise the making process of the regulation,” said the Secretary General of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Nizar Ali.

Meanwhile, sexual violence issue has become one of KSP’s major attention. Since the beginning of last year, KSP has initiated a task force to accelerate the issuance of Sexual Violence Eradication bills (RUU PKS).