Currently, we have paid Rp85.87 billion in medical expense refunds to hospitals treating 1,888 COVID-19 patientsJakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government distributed Rp2.06 trillion of the budget totaling Rp3.14 trillion to the COVID-19 Task Force to stem the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in the country, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati stated.
Almost Rp1.09 trillion out of the Rp2.06 trillion has been utilized to purchase personal protective equipment (PPE) and other medical supplies at hospitals and Rp975 billion to refund the medical expenses of COVID-19 patients offered treatment at 129 hospitals, she noted in a written statement released on Monday.
"Currently, we have paid Rp85.87 billion in medical expense refunds to hospitals treating 1,888 COVID-19 patients," she remarked.
The minister revealed that President Joko Widodo had instructed to reallocate and refocus budget funds at all ministries, non-ministerial government institutions, and regional governments in a bid to support the health sector, social assistance, and business world, especially micro, small, and medium businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We have also slashed the budget for fiscal consolidation and non-urgent spending during the COVID-19 pandemic," she stated.
In accordance with Presidential Regulation No. 54 of 2020, the government has also optimally utilized budget funding for non-ministerial government institutions from activities and projects deferred due to the COVID-19 pandemic or postponed until next year, she revealed.
The reallocated budget funds are directed to ministries and non-ministerial government institutions handling COVID-19, such as the Health Ministry, Education and Culture Ministry, Defense Ministry, Foreign Ministry, and National Police.
The government had also urged all regional governments to reallocate or refocus the utilization of revenue sharing (DBH), general allocation fund (DAU), and special allocation fund (DAK) to increase the budget to handle the COVID-19 pandemic, she noted.
Some 479 regional governments have filed regional budget adjustment reports until May 8, 2019, and they have cut service spending, from 24.87 percent to 20.86 percent and capital spending, from 18.16 percent to 12.89 percent.
In the meantime, budget allocations for social assistance and predictable funding rose to 30.33 percent, from 24.63 percent.
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Translator: Astrid Faidlatul Habibah/Suhar
Editor: Sri Haryati
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