Day: September 24, 2021

Indonesia received one million doses of the Sinovac vaccine from the Chinese government and an additional one million free doses from Sinovac on Friday.

According to Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi, as of September 24, 2021, Indonesia has secured a total of 273,603,790 COVID-19 vaccine doses.

“With the arrival of these vaccines, the total number of vaccines that have arrived in Indonesia is 273,603,790 doses, both in the form of finished products and bulk,” the minister said while delivering a virtual press statement on Friday.

Earlier, on September 21, 2021, Indonesia had received 200 thousand doses of the Sinovac vaccine in the form of finished products from the Red Cross Society of China.

Marsudi on Friday affirmed that Indonesia will keep strengthening diplomacy to meet its domestic vaccine needs. She also expressed her gratitude to China for its support and cooperation in vaccine procurement.

Meanwhile, the Chinese Ambassador to Indonesia, Xiao Qian, explained that the vaccine donation was an effort by the Chinese government to support Indonesia’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aside from vaccine supply, China donated 120 ventilators, 400 oxygen generators, and other medical supplies for Indonesia last August, the ambassador said.

“Under the strong leadership of President Joko Widodo and the joint efforts of the Indonesian people, China believes that Indonesia will defeat the pandemic as soon as possible and restore economic and social development,” Qian added.

The first case of COVID-19 in Indonesia was confirmed in March 2020. To win the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indonesian government launched a nationwide vaccination program on January 13, 2021. President Widodo was the first vaccine recipient under the program.

According to data from the Ministry of Health, as of September 24, 2021, at least 84,863,899 Indonesian citizens have received the first vaccine dose and 47,708,141 have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Source: Antara News

People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Deputy Speaker Lestari Moerdijat has urged the government to thoroughly evaluate the face-to-face mode of learning that led to the surfacing of COVID-19 transmission clusters.

Careful preparations for offline learning are necessary to prevent the emergence of new clusters when that mode of learning was resumed, according to Moerdijat.

“A thorough evaluation should be immediately conducted on face-to-face learning leading to the emergence of COVID-19 clusters. The security factor for all students and teachers must be prioritized during face-to-face learning,” the MPR deputy speaker outlined in a press statement issued here on Friday.

Moerdijat made the statement after the Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Ministry recorded of the total 46,500 schools conducting direct learning, 2.8 percent, or 1,296 schools, had reported COVID-19 clusters as of September 20, 2021.

Hence, a systematic evaluation pertaining to the new clusters should be conducted to address the problems being faced during face-to-face learning amid the pandemic, according to the deputy speaker.

“Face-to-face learning is expected to halt learning loss among students. However, do not compel to conduct direct learning if schools in some regions have not prepared yet, as it will instead threaten the safety of both students and teachers,” she expounded.

The appearance of thousands of clusters prompted by direct learning across the regions were likely caused by educational institutions that have not been ready yet in conducting this method of learning, she stated.

Moerdijat expressed regret over the surfacing of new COVID-19 clusters that resulted in students and teachers contracting the virus.

She expressed optimism that the government would immediately apply preventive measures, followed by massive testing and tracing to curb the spread of the virus more widely.

“Educational institutions should prepare a system that can ensure that students and teachers are in good health and are virus-free before participating in the direct learning process. In addition, the requirement of getting vaccinated should be fulfilled by them,” she emphasized.

Moerdijat, who also serves as the House of Representatives’ Commission X member, added that amid the pandemic, the public should adapt to new norms in conducting activities by fulfilling the requirements stipulated by stakeholders.

The adherence of all public elements to several regulations stipulated must be improved, so that they can conduct their activities and coexist with COVID-19.

“Face-to-face learning during the pandemic is a challenge for all children of the nation in implementing the national values, such as mutual cooperation, unity, sacrifice, and love for the country inherited by the founding fathers,” she remarked.

Hence, without strong commitment of all elements of society in obeying the stipulated regulations, the offline learning process amid the pandemic would be far from successful.

Source: Antara News

No trace of Gerald Sokoy, a health worker who went missing after a Papuan terrorist group attacked a Kiwirok public health center on September 13, 2021, had been found as of Friday, Papua police chief said.

Insp.Gen.Mathius D. Fakhiri said he, therefore, could not confirm the reliability of reports posted on social media platforms saying that Sokoy had been taken hostage by the separatist terrorists.

“We cannot yet make sure whether the reports are reliable or not, and we cannot confirm Gerald Sokoy’s condition either,” he told ANTARA in Jayapura, the capital of Papua province, on Friday.

According to information posted on social media platforms, the Lamek Taplo-led armed group will free Sokoy through a local church so he can reunite with his family, he said.

However, the reliability of the information has not been confirmed yet, he added.

Security personnel stationed in Kiwirok sub-district, Pegunungan Bintang district, Papua province have not yet confirmed the credibility of reports on Sokoy’s release posted on social media platforms, Fakhiri said.

The search for Sokoy has continued, but security personnel have yet to locate his whereabouts, he added.

On the morning of September 13, 2021, several members of the Lamek Tablo-led separatist terrorist group had reportedly torched several public facilities, including a public health center, and homes in Kiwirok.

The separatist terrorists also got into a gun fight with Indonesian security personnel during which one army personnel sustained minor injuries on his right arm after a bullet ricocheted and struck him.

The wounded army personnel has been identified as 1st Private Ansar from the 403/WP Infantry Battalion.

The Papuan terrorists also reportedly assaulted and tortured several health workers from the Kiwirok Public Health Center.

A female healthcare worker, identified as Gabriela Meilan, died after being tortured by the terrorists, said officials.

On September 17, 2021, the wounded soldier and nine healthcare workers who survived the terrorists’ brutality were evacuated from Kiwirok sub-district in Pegunungan Bintang district to Jayapura city.

The health workers have been identified as Lukas Luji, Marthinus Deni Setya, Siti Khotijah, Dr.Restu Pamanggi, Marselinus Ola Atanila, Patra, Emanuel Abi, Katrianti Tandila, and Kristina Sampe Tonapa.

The evacuees were transported on a Caracal transport military helicopter to the capital of Papua province to Marthen Indey Hospital for medical treatment.

Source: Antara News