The state budget (APBN) will continuously be used to maintain public health amid the pandemic and emergency public activity restrictions (PPKM) by expediting its distribution to expand health intervention, social protection, and job creation.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government has decided to increase the health budget under the national economic recovery (PEN) program to Rp214.95 trillion from Rp193.93 trillion earlier.



"The state budget (APBN) will continuously be used to maintain public health amid the pandemic and emergency public activity restrictions (PPKM) by expediting its distribution to expand health intervention, social protection, and job creation," head of the Fiscal Policy Board at the Finance Ministry, Febrio Kacaribu, said in a written statement released on Monday.



The increase has been prompted by the government's plan to raise the health budget for COVID-19 patients in hospitals and conducting self-isolation by Rp25.87 trillion as well as for the creation of emergency hospitals at a cost of Rp2.75 trillion, he disclosed.



The government has also allocated Rp57.84 trillion for the vaccination program and Rp1.08 trillion for healthcare workers' incentives, he said.


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In addition, the government has increased the budget by Rp400 billion for the procurement of COVID-19 drugs, Rp370 billion for the procurement of emergency oxygen, and Rp790 billion for the strict enforcement of micro PPKM, he added.



The government is also offering Rp20.85 trillion in tax incentives for the import of medical equipment and medicines, he noted. Meanwhile, the budget for the implementation of the 3Ts (tracing, treatment, and testing), task forces, and research has reached Rp45.93 trillion, he said.



The rise in the health budget will increase the budget allocation for the national economic recovery program from Rp699.43 trillion to Rp744.75 trillion as of July 16, 2021.



"The additional budget will be taken from refocusing and reprioritizing the budget," he said.


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Translator: Agatha OV, Suharto
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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