Day: September 16, 2021

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin is targeting 12-year-old children in Indonesia to be caries-free by 2030 through the mentoring role of the Dental and Oral Health Committee.

“Another area of focus I have called attention to is the importance of dental and oral services in the promotive and preventive efforts, especially during this pandemic,” Sadikin noted in a press statement received here, Thursday.

Sadikin highlighted the commitment of the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) to improving the dental and oral health of Indonesians.

In commemoration of National Dental Health Day (HKGN), the minister advised that dental and oral services prioritize the importance of promotive and preventive efforts, especially amid the pandemic.

Meanwhile, Director of Primary Health Services at the Indonesian Ministry of Health, Saraswati Sugiyarso, remarked that the HKGN 2021 was observed to address the low level of public awareness on the importance of maintaining dental and oral health that had also worsened in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The 2021 HKGN is a momentum to educate the public right from pediatric patients to the older adults to not delay getting dental care and undergoing examinations by using teledentistry,” she emphasized.

The Health Ministry observed HKGN, which fell on September 12, 2021, by holding activities ranging from Instagram talk shows, live radio, photo and video competitions, as well as educational webinars involving the start-up social enterprise GIGI.ID that focuses on the dental and oral health of the community.

On a separate occasion, CEO and founder of GIGI.ID, Armelia Sari Widyarman, said that her side lauded the Indonesian Ministry of Health for its trust in involving GIGI.ID in the 2021 HKGN event.

“We are ready to fully support the success of the entire series of HKGN 2021 activities,” she affirmed.

“As the first Teledentristry application in Indonesia, GIGI.ID is expected to help the Indonesian Ministry of Health accelerate the availability of dental and oral health services in Indonesia through the use of technology,” she remarked.

Meanwhile, Directorate of Primary Health Services of the Ministry of Health and Chair of the 2021 HKGN Committee, Indra Rachmad Dharmawan, remarked that the 10 thousand participants for the 2021 HKGN webinar comprised dentists, dental nurses, students, and the general public.

Source: Antara News

House of Representatives’ Commission IX member, Nurhadi, supports the Indonesian government’s decision to close several airports and enforce stricter requirements for the entry of people into Indonesia.

Nurhadi, in a statement received here on Thursday, noted that the policy aimed to thwart the risk of transmission of the new variant of COVID-19.

“The policy to stop the entry of foreigners from countries where cases of COVID-19 or new variants are still high is appropriate. The implementation must be consistent with tight supervision,” he affirmed.

Indonesia’s government had closed foreign visitor arrivals except those through the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Jakarta, and Sam Ratulangi International Airport, Manado.

In addition, foreign visitors are mandated to undergo PCR tests thrice and quarantine for eight days.

Nurhadi has called to apply the policy maximally and not allow foreign visitors or Indonesian citizens from abroad to enter without following the regulation to avoid risky implications.

He did acknowledge that the government’s policy would impact business in the aviation sector.

“However, of course, we have to choose and prioritize the safety and health of our people,” he emphasized.

According to Nurhadi, an improvement in the COVID-19 situation was observed in some areas. The indicators include changes in the level or severity of the spread of COVID-19 cases.

A few weeks ago, several regions were at level 4 of public activity restrictions (PPKM), which meant the daily COVID-19 case count in the area was high. Currently, the PPKM in some areas has been reduced to level 3 and even level 2 and level 1. Nurhadi assessed that a decline in the number of cases was partly due to the enforcement of the PPKM policy.

“Of course, this is a type of success for which we need to laud the government, although we must not be overly euphoric,” he stated.

Nurhadi later noted that the government’s policies would prove futile in the absence of public support. He is optimistic that the PPKM policy will be followed by community discipline in implementing health protocols.

According to Nurhadi, with the spirit of mutual cooperation and togetherness, Indonesia would be able to stem the spread of COVID-19.

“Application of strict health protocols by both the government and the public is very important as an effort to prevent the transmission and spread of the coronavirus,” Nurhadi concluded.

Source: Antara News

Indonesian Consul General in Kuching Yonny Tri Prayitno confirmed the consulate general had facilitated the repatriation of two Indonesian migrant workers ailing from health issues from Malaysia through the Aruk border crossing, Sambas, West Kalimantan.

“The consulate general has assisted the repatriation of two migrant workers suffering from illness in Malaysia, and they have made it through the Aruk border crossing today,” Consul General Prayitno stated from Kuching, Sarawak, Thursday.

Prayitno noted that the first repatriated migrant worker was identified as Abu Hatayus, a resident of Bengkayang, West Kalimantan.

“We earlier received a report from the Sarawak Regional Hospital in Kuching that informed Abu Hatayus was hospitalized after suffering a stroke,” Prayitno stated.

The Sarawak Regional Hospital earlier contacted the consulate general to inquire about the patient’s identity, as he arrived in the hospital without any identification data, and the hospital suspected him to be an Indonesian citizen.

“After the patient is confirmed as being an Indonesian citizen, the hospital requested assistance from the consulate to repatriate the patient, so he could receive medical attention in his country of origin,” Prayitno affirmed.

The second repatriated migrant worker was identified as Edimin, who hailed from Singkawang, West Kalimantan. He requested the consulate general’s assistance to repatriate him after suffering from hypertension, swollen foot, and tetanus.

“The repatriation process for the two Indonesian migrant workers went smoothly with no issues. The repatriated Indonesians have been declared COVID-19 negative after undergoing COVID-19 testing at the hospital where they are treated,” Prayitno stated.

After arriving at the Aruk border crossing, the two migrant workers would be handled by the Migrant Worker Repatriation Task Force and border officials. The repatriated Indonesians will first follow COVID-19 prevention measures before being admitted to the hospital for further medical treatment, he noted.

Source: Antara News

Pfizer and Moderna vaccines have been made available at all health facilities and vaccination centers in Jakarta city to support new policies for accelerating COVID-19 immunization, the Jakarta Health Service has informed.

“Starting today, Moderna and Pfizer vaccination services are available in all health facilities and vaccine centers in Jakarta,” head of the Jakarta Health Service, Widyastuti said, on Thursday.

Citizens across Indonesia can get the Moderna shot by showing their identity cards at health facilities and vaccination centers, she disclosed.

The Pfizer vaccine is only available in vertical hospitals, namely hospitals owned by the Ministry of Health and health facilities overseen by the ministry, she added.

Pfizer is also available at TNI/Polri health facilities, and citizens across Indonesia can get the vaccine using their identity cards, Widyastuti said.

“Other than that, health facilities can only inject Pfizer vaccine for Jakarta residents with their identity card as proof,” she added.

The Pfizer vaccine is being given to residents aged 12 years and above and pregnant women, she informed. Meanwhile, the Moderna vaccine has been approved for residents aged 18 years and above and pregnant women, she added.

People who are immunocompromised, such as those with severe comorbid diseases, autoimmune diseases, and patients on immunosuppressant therapy, must comply with the doctor’s recommendations, she stressed.

“Community health centers (Puskesmas) will coordinate with hospitals if further examination is needed on prospective vaccine participants according to medical indications,” Widyastuti said.

The Sub-Department of Health Service and Puskesmas will maximize health facilities and vaccination centers in each region to simultaneously serve all types of vaccination programs using Sinovac, AstraZenecca, Moderna, and Pfizer vaccines, she informed.

Earlier, Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were only available at certain health facilities, Widyastuti noted. For example, the Pfizer vaccine was only available at 16 health facilities initially, then its provision was expanded to 59 health facilities, and now the vaccine is available at all health facilities and vaccination centers, she added.

Source: Antara News

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has called on Indonesians to learn to coexist with COVID-19 on account of the virus projected to not completely disappear from the country.

“We have to start learning to coexist with COVID-19 because it will not completely disappear from our country,” President Jokowi noted in his statement while reviewing the implementation of mass vaccinations for students and the community in Aceh Province, Thursday.

As witnessed through the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube video, the President said that vaccination was one of the keys to thwarting the transmission of COVID-19.

Jokowi is optimistic that by expediting vaccination, the rate of COVID-19 transmission in the country could be controlled.

“I am sanguine that with more people getting vaccinated, maximum protection will be ensured for all of us,” he stated.

Vaccination in Aceh, which was reviewed by the president, was held by the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) for students and the general public.

The vaccination was offered door-to-door by medical intelligence officers from BIN for students and residents at three locations, with the first being a densely populated settlement at Lambro Bileu Village, Kuta Baro, Aceh Besar, while the second at Mireuk Village, Krueng, Barona Jaya, Aceh Besar, and the third at the Dayah Istiqamatuddin Darul Mu’arrif Islamic Boarding School, Aceh Besar District.

The head of state noted that the door-to-door vaccination activity was held to expedite the process and to provide services to the community directly.

The first case of COVID-19 in Indonesia was confirmed in March 2020. According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency’s (BNPB’s) data, as of September 15, 2021, some 4,178,164 people had been tested positive for COVID-19, while 3,953,519 people recovered, and 139,682 people succumbed to the deadly virus.

Source: Antara News