Of that budgeted figure, as of July 8, Rp284.5 billion has been channeled to 94,057 health workers
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Health revealed that budget amounting to Rp1.9 trillion was allotted for offering incentives to health workers handling the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

"Of that budgeted figure, as of July 8, Rp284.5 billion has been channeled to 94,057 health workers," Secretary of the Agency for Development and Empowerment of Human Resources (PPSDM) in the Heath Sector, Trisa Wahjuni Putri, noted in a press release here on Thursday.

Speaking in connection with the death benefit payout, Putri affirmed that of the total Rp60 billion apportioned, approximately Rp9.6 billion had been disbursed to the families of 32 health workers, who had died while conducting their duties.

As of June 30, the Ministry of Finance had handed out incentives worth Rp58.3 billion to 15,435 health workers handling the COVID-19 pandemic in the region, Director of the Special Transfer Fund of the Directorate General of Fiscal Balance of the Ministry of Finance Putut Hari Satyaka revealed.

In accordance with the existing new regulation and recommendations of the Health Ministry, Rp1.3 trillion of incentives had been distributed to health workers in 542 regions throughout Indonesia.

Several parties, including the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI), have criticized the lengthy bureaucratic process entailed in delivering the incentives to health workers that had oftentimes resulted in long delays.

To address such delays in diverting incentives to health workers, the government issued Minister of Health Decree No. HK.01.07/MENKES/392/2020 on provision of incentives and death compensation for health workers dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new regulation simplifies the verification process for the disbursal of healthcare incentives. Earlier, stage-wise verification was conducted, right from the lowest level institutions, such as Puskesmas or community health centers and regional hospitals, and district and city health offices, to the provincial health offices, and then to the Ministry of Health. After undergoing the lengthy process, the document was finally submitted to the Ministry of Finance.

Under the new regulation, the verification process is conducted in the regions, and the results were directly submitted to the Ministry of Finance, thereby cutting short the process.

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Translator: Anom P, Fardah
Editor: Sri Haryati
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