Day: January 20, 2022

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Wisma Atlet Hospital logs 517 Omicron patients

The Wisma Atlet COVID-19 Emergency Hospital in Kemayoran, North Jakarta, has so far admitted 517 patients infected with the Omicron variant of COVID-19, an official informed.

Of the 517 COVID-19 Omicron patients, 491 patients have since recovered and left the hospital, with 26 patients remaining under treatment, the hospital’s public relations coordinator, Colonel Dr. Mintogo Sumego, said.

Of the total patients infected with the Omicron variant, at least 60 percent reported mild symptoms, while the rest were asymptomatic, he informed.

At least 466 of the Omicron patients treated at the hospital were Indonesian overseas travelers and the remaining 51 patients were infected through local transmission, he added.

“The country of origin of the overseas travelers (treated at Wisma Atlet Hospital) were Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Malaysia, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom,” Sumego said.

To anticipate a possible Omicron surge, the hospital has prepared Tower 4 and Tower 7 of the emergency hospital to accommodate patients, he informed.

The two towers remain unoccupied as the bed occupancy rate in the currently operational Towers 5 and 6 is just 32 percent, he said.

“The hospital is currently treating 2,636 patients, and 5,537 beds remain available,” Sumego noted.

Meanwhile, head of the information department of the Joint Command of I Defence Area, Marine Colonel Aris Mudian, informed that 2,636 patients are currently being treated at the hospital’s Towers 5 and 6.

The department head confirmed that the hospital admitted 21 new patients on Thursday.

Mudian also said that the hospital admitted a total of 135,058 COVID-19 patients between March 23, 2020, and January 20, 2022.

Of the total patients, at least 130,754 recovered and were discharged from the emergency hospital, 1,072 patients were referred to other hospitals, and 596 patients died at the hospital, he added.

 

Source: Antara News

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Need to focus on expediting booster vaccinations: epidemiologist

The acceleration of booster vaccinations should be prioritized to boost protection and improve the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine, a field epidemiologist from Jendral Soedirman University, Dr. Yudhi Wibowo, has said.

“The acceleration of booster vaccinations needs to be prioritized amid the spread of the new variant, Omicron,” he advised here on Thursday.

In the early stages, booster vaccinations must be prioritized for older adults and those who are vulnerable to contracting the virus, he stressed.

According to Wibowo, those who received the second dose six months ago must get the booster shot without delay.

Socialization regarding the importance of booster vaccinations must continue to be carried out in the community, he said.

“Regional governments, through health offices, need to continue to increase socialization regarding booster vaccinations in order to improve public awareness and understanding,” he added.

Wibowo lauded the government for moving quickly in rolling out the booster vaccination program for the public.

“The government’s effort to start booster vaccinations since January 12, 2022, needs to be appreciated as a form of its quick action in boosting protection for the community,” he said.

He also reminded regional governments to increase testing, tracing, and treatment efforts in order to anticipate a spike in COVID-19 cases.

“Regional governments need to intensify the 3Ts (testing, tracing, treatment) as an effective anticipatory measure. This is needed to accelerate COVID-19 handling,” the epidemiologist said.

Aside from testing, tracing, and treatment, regional governments must intensify the supervision of patients under isolation, he added.

The Indonesian government launched a nationwide vaccination program on January 13, 2021, in a bid to boost community immunity against COVID-19. President Joko Widodo was the first vaccine recipient under the program.

According to data provided by the Health Ministry, as of January 20, 2022, nearly 179,400,503 Indonesians have received their first COVID-19 jab, while 122,625,654 have been fully vaccinated against the virus.

 

Source: Antara News

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Developed countries must aid energy transition in developing nations:

Indonesia and other developing countries have asked developed countries to fund their transition to environmentally friendly energy and transfer the required technology.

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) made the statement while making a presentation at the World Economic Forum, which he joined virtually from Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java province, on Thursday.

“Available funding sources and technology transfer will be game-changers in the eco-friendly energy transition. Thus, innovative funding schemes must be developed,” he said.

Indonesia is committed to starting the transition, he added. However, it requires enormous funding and access to green technologies, he pointed out.

Indonesia needs US$50 billion to realize the transformation as well as US$37 billion to manage land use in the forestry sector and marine carbon, the President noted.

“Developing countries, such as Indonesia, must be supported by technology and investment for realizing their transition attempts; thus, (this will ensure) the attempts do not burden the community, industrial players, and state’s finances too much,” he explained.

ence, technology and funding are key for developing countries to promote an environmentally friendly energy transition, he stressed.

This will require strong cooperation among developed and developing countries, he said.

“No government can work alone. Governments need to work together internally, nationally, and globally along with state-owned energy companies and the private sector to realize a fair and affordable energy transition,” he added.

Earlier, President Widodo highlighted that the environmentally friendly energy transition is one of the priorities of Indonesia’s 2022 G20 Presidency, in addition to restructuring the global health architecture and optimizing digital technology for economic transformation.Moreover, Indonesia has affirmed its commitment to implementing the transition at the Conference of Parties (COP) 26 World Leaders Summit in Glasgow, Scotland in November 2021 to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, he added.

 

Source: Antara News

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Police teams to monitor cooking oil policy implementation

The National Police (Polri) have formed special teams for monitoring the implementation of the one-price cooking oil policy in the regions.

“Polri has formed monitoring teams in regions to monitor cooking oil production, distribution, and selling activities,” National Police spokesperson Brig. Gen. Ahmad Ramadhan confirmed here on Thursday.

According to Ramadhan, the teams have also been tasked with preventing panic buying of cooking oil among the community.

The National Police has coordinated with the Ministry of Trade and the trade offices of provinces, cities, and districts to issue a regulation or technical regulation on the sale of cooking oil at Rp14 thousand per liter, he informed.

The regulation includes limiting sales to two liters of cooking oil on each purchase, he said.

He explained that the limitation is aimed at preventing the hoarding of cooking oil.

Anyone found hoarding oil would face five years’ imprisonment or a penalty of Rp50 billion, Ramadhan emphasized.

“It is in accordance with Article 107 of the 2014 Law on Hoarding,” the National Police spokesperson added.

On January 19, 2022, the Indonesian government officially implemented the policy, capping the price of cooking oil at Rp14 thousand per liter to meet the needs of households and micro and small businesses.

The step was taken to handle the high price of cooking oil, as well as push efforts to ensure the availability of cooking oil at affordable prices.

In the early stage of its implementation, the one-price policy will be enforced by modern retailers who are members of the Indonesian Retail Entrepreneurs Association (Aprindo), Ramadhan said. Meanwhile, sellers in traditional markets have been given one week to make adjustments before implementing the new price, he added.

 

Source: Antara News

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Health reform has become a priority: ministry

The COVID-19 pandemic has made health sector reform a top priority for dealing with the threat of future outbreaks, director general of health services at Health Ministry, Abdul Kadir, has said.

At an Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) event, which was streamed on YouTube on Thursday, he said that the COVID-19 pandemic has made many parties aware of the importance of global health defense.

“Thus, we must be able to build and develop our own medical devices and medicines products,” he stressed.

In addition, the pandemic has provided the best momentum for Indonesia to reform its health sector, he said.

Hence, the ministry has initiated various transformations in the health sector, including reforming primary services by restoring the function of the community health centers (Puskesmas), he added.

In the future, Puskesmas will focus on socialization and prevention functions, he informed.

Puskesmas officers will be more involved in conducting outdoor activities to disseminate information regarding disease prevention to the community, he added.

Furthermore, the ministry will reform secondary health services by increasing education services and health screening in the community so that diseases can be detected early, he said.

Another transformation will be implemented in referral services by building a number of hospitals to serve patients suffering from the four diseases with the highest death rates in Indonesia: heart disease, stroke, cancer, and kidney disease, he disclosed.

“Our priority is to establish integrated heart services in all of the 34 provincial capitals by 2024,” Kadir informed.

Hence, the ministry is providing scholarships to IDI to meet the demand for medical human resources, he said.

The ministry is also preparing various regulations that will require all hospitals to purchase and use local medical devices and products, he added.

“All imported products that can be substituted with local products listed in the electronic catalogue will be taken down; thus, they cannot be sold in Indonesia anymore,” the director general informed.

Still, imported products will be allowed to be marketed in Indonesia if the producers fulfill their obligation to build factories in Indonesia, he said.

A transformation will also be carried out in the health human resources sector by increasing the number of doctors and nurses as well as other medical workers, he said.

“All of our future health services will not use manual tools anymore. All of them must be technology-based. In addition, we will develop biotechnology,” Kadir added.

 

Source: Antara News

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Cultural works for supporting creative economy

It feels very nice to record some special things about my humble experiences in a country like Libya.

People may not really know that behind its local characteristics lie many wise messages for social life. One of the special things in Libya is its cultural products.

The products point to the originality of thinking and behavior of the local people, and are appreciative of its environment and social values.

As an Indonesian who has been posted almost three years in Libya, I can say that three years is a very short time to know Libya fully. However, reflecting on some of my experiences during those years, I remembered what the wise man said, “If we want to keep a value attached tightly in our memory, we should write and document it.”

Inspired by the wise words, I began to compile a collection of writings to be published as a book. It is a book that describes all special things to be known and understood not only by us writers but also readers.

Furthermore, the message of the book is directed at readers to encourage them to think further to develop information that they have read into more tangible creative economic activities and industries.

In line with the above perspective, I started to engage with some Libyan colleagues, one of whom is Hasan Onais, the former chairman of the Libyan Culture Office, and his team (Brother Abdulmotaleb and friends). We began collecting and exchanging data on cultural issues.

They rendered their valuable time to collaborate with the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Tripoli in the form of making a joint committee to publish a cultural book that documents Indonesia and Libya’s cultural heritage. The committee was formed in 2020 and released a collection of writings titled “Nature and Some Collection of Two Countries’ Cultural Heritages,” as seen in the attached photo.

The book is very simple but holds great meaning, at least for the Embassy and the Cultural Office of Libya as it records its observations on the richness of Libya and Indonesia’s local heritage. The book is written in Arabic and Indonesian languages.

It is considered the first cultural product resulting from the joint committee; such an undertaking has never been attempted before. It is expected to be another way of enhancing people-to-people contact and cultural relations between two countries.

Indonesia and Libya are well-known as coastal states. Both countries have different climates and geographical situations. Such different situations bring opportunities that can be translated into tangible activities, especially in supporting and empowering people to get actively involved in the creative economy.

Many potentials can be explored and many issues can present a chance for activating economic activities, while allowing both nations to preserve their culture and environment, which is an integral part of our effort to balance our natural and traditional heritages and also for human interaction.

In bridging the understanding of and preserving this valuable heritage, the Embassy and the Libya Cultural Offices chose this kind of work as an effort towards maintaining the cultural assets that Libya and Indonesia are proud to promote and enhance.

The collaboration has been successful even though carried out amid the constraints of the pandemic, and the project has done well. The book is complete. As the initial step, the book has been released digitally. Readers can peruse it using this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pJ-9nNKV4HJIiE6sv-nd1IhwsfgVuUwZ/view?usp=drivesdk

Realizing this project is only an initial step for further developing more practical activities between the Embassy and related agencies in Libya. The Embassy will try to disseminate the message of this cultural asset by undertaking more digital activities with the Libyan community/stakeholders.

For the past two years, the Embassy has undertaken some digital exchange promotion programs. One of them is a Culinary Program. Directly and indirectly, this program supports the fact that this aspect can create opportunities. One example of this is an Indonesian who returned to Indonesia to successfully open a Libyan food outlet/mini movable restaurant, catering to Indonesian tastes, in West Sumatra Indonesia. The initiator is Brother Alvan Satria Shidiq. The reader can read about his achievement on this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bQzACaI6vvcrvVjVZU0YuKsImKhQMBQG/view?usp=drivesdk

Furthermore, Libyans also have a taste for Indonesian food. This is proven by the Appreciation and Testimony Program broadcast on our national radio, Republik Indonesia (RRI) Voice of Indonesia, which features testimonies from Libyan communities who have lived in Indonesia. Recordings of the program can be accessed on the link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Y2GGKlXvnV3-DHsP36kKGuNQg5qf16k6/view?usp=drivesdk

Besides the food sector, other areas like painting art are also generating positive signals. Some Libyan painters have actively participated in many cultural events organized by the Indonesian Embassy, such as Mr. Abderrezaq and his wife, Saras Meskawi, and Haajar Tiyari, a Jordanian who resides in Libya. The event can be viewed on this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FUjThBkRQ6hiQj9-5oC_p9MiEOK-viwh/view?usp=drivesdk https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L1tFCLHOLX4-uGFpA8vaLyYguG-EArWi/view?usp=drivesdk

For the above activities, the Embassy would like to thank all stakeholders in Libya and Indonesia who have made these events a success. The Embassy hopes that in this year of 2022 and ahead, opportunities shall always be found through our continued collaborative works. For this, the Embassy will always be open to cooperating and bridging communication with related stakeholders in Indonesia to support the creative economy among our two peoples.

*) Moehammad Amar Ma’ruf, Chargé d’Affaires a.i of the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Tripoli

*) The views and opinions expressed on this page are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the ANTARA News Agency

 

Source: Antara News

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Sweegen Praises New Framework on Stevia Technology By International Food Safety Authority

Sets Global Example on Standards for Countries

Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif., Jan. 20, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sweegen’s health and wellness commitment through global sugar reduction solutions became stronger after Codex Alimentarius (Codex), the international food standard safety authority, recently adopted the specifications for all four stevia technologies, including Sweegen’s bioconversion.

“The new Codex framework is timely as the benefits of steviol glycosides, the sweet component in the stevia leaf, fit into the broader health and wellness narrative, which is something consumers want to see more of, and global food and beverage manufacturers want greater access to,” said Luca Giannone, senior vice president of sales.

The significance of the adoption is that there is now a more streamlined approach to regional adoption of new production technologies. This will provide greater access to less common and better-tasting steviol glycosides at scale and a more sustainable supply of the sugar-like tasting ingredients.

Sweegen’s support for adopting the “Framework for Stevia Technology” started four years ago as a member of the alliance group, the International Stevia Council (ISC). Adopting the framework was a stevia industry effort and collaboration internationally where Sweegen represented bioconversion technology.

“With this framework, most countries in the world will gradually adopt this standard, and our global stevia footprint can expand more rapidly into countries where we are seeking approval for offering our pure, clean, and great-tasting Signature Bestevia ingredients produced by bioconversion,” said Giannone.

Modern technology advancements, such as bioconversion, produce clean new generation sweetener molecules such as Rebaudiosides M, D, and E, originally found in small quantities in the stevia leaf. Unlike first-generation ingredients like Rebaudioside A, these rebaudiosides impart a clean sugar-like taste with a better sensory profile and are highly sought-after by food and beverage manufacturers in countries where they have regulatory approvals.

“The adopted framework is good news for brands that want greater access to Sweegen’s pure and clean tasting stevia ingredients, Rebs D, E, M, and more,” said Giannone. “By leveraging proprietary bioconversion technology, we start with the stevia leaf, and with the support of enzymes, produce a final product that is a single purified steviol glycoside (not a mixture) that naturally occurs in the stevia leaf.”

Under the new framework, all of Sweegen’s rebaudiosides are approved by Codex. Last year, Sweegen earned regulatory approval for its Signature Bestevia Reb M in Europe, which enables greater flexibility in satisfying regional preferences for sweetness and great taste.

“We welcome the adoption of the Codex framework and the opportunity to support our customers globally with new sugar reduction innovations,” said Steven Chen, Sweegen’s chief executive officer. “Sweegen is proud to be part of this collaborative effort to bring much-needed innovation to the food and beverage industry.”

About Sweegen

Sweegen provides sweet taste solutions for food and beverage manufacturers around the world.

We are on a mission to reduce the sugar and artificial sweeteners in our global diet.  Partnering with customers, we create delicious zero-sugar products that consumers love.  With the best next-generation stevia sweeteners in our portfolio, such as Bestevia® Rebs B, D, E, I, M, and N, along with our deep knowledge of flavor modulators and texturants, Sweegen delivers market-leading solutions that customers want, and consumers prefer. Be well. Choose well.

For more information, please contact info@sweegen.com and visit Sweegen’s website, www.sweegen.com.

Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including, among other statements, statements regarding the future prospects for Reb M stevia leaf sweetener. These statements are based on current expectations but are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and are beyond the control of Sweegen, Inc.

Relevant risks and uncertainties include those referenced in the historic filings of Sweegen, Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These risks and uncertainties could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in or implied by the forward-looking statements, and therefore should be carefully considered. Sweegen, Inc. assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements due to new information or future events or developments.

Attachment

Ana Arakelian
Sweegen
949-709-0583
ana.arakelian@sweegen.com
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Philippines upbeat on chances vs Thais in AFC Women’s Asian Cup opener

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Philippine Star

Luisa Morales – Philstar.com January 20, 2022 | 9:45am MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine women’s national football team is in high spirits heading into their AFC Women’s Asian Cup opener vs Thailand on Friday in India. Forward Chandler McDaniel and head coach Alen Stajcic both expressed optimism that they will be coming out with the victory despite a less than desirable head-to-head record against the Thais. The Philippines is 0-12 when going up against the Southeast Asian powerhouse. “I think our confidence going in is very high,” McDaniel told Philippine media on Tuesday. “We all know tha… Continue reading “Philippines upbeat on chances vs Thais in AFC Women’s Asian Cup opener”

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