If the return is not coordinated properly, it has a high potential to increase the domestic transmission of COVID-19Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Executive Office of the President (KSP) has encouraged to accelerate the vaccination program of Indonesian migrant workers scheduled to depart for the destination country and those returning to Indonesia.
"I urged all related ministries and institutions to collaborate in implementing the program," head of the President's office staff, Moeldoko, remarked during a coordination meeting with the Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI) head here on Friday, as quoted from a KSP press release.
On the same occasion, Director General of Protocol and Consular Affairs at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Andy Rachmianto, called on the government to take precautionary measures against the likely return of some 70 thousand migrant workers from Malaysia by the year-end.
Furthermore, the BP2MI data for the January-May 2021 period indicated that some 86 thousand employees had returned to Indonesia. Meanwhile, the contracts of some 39 thousand workers had expired in June-July 2021, and they would return soon.
In addition to the official migrant workers, there are illegal ones. The illegal migrant workers return rate is projected to be higher than the official one.
“Most of them were deported because they were illegal, involved in violating the law, were ill, or were overstaying. If the return is not coordinated properly, it has a high potential to increase the domestic transmission of COVID-19," Moeldoko cautioned.
The BP2MI has coordinated with the Health Ministry and Regional Health Office over the provision of COVID-19 vaccines and PCR tests for employees that will depart. Moreover, the Foreign Affairs Ministry, COVID Task Force, BP2MI, and local governments have conducted health procedures for the returning citizens.
However, various immigration sites -- especially in Batam (Riau Islands), Entikong (West Kalimantan), and Nunukan (North Kalimantan) -- have limited test kits, vaccines, quarantine and treatment facilities, health workers, as well as budget as compared to the large number of the migrant workers passing through.
The Presidential staff head also received several reports of the lack of coordination between the regional health offices and Health Ministry in conducting vaccinations in the regions. For instance, several regional health offices were unwilling to provide vaccines to workers who are not resident of the respective region as shown in their ID cards.
The Health Ministry had attempted to solve this problem by conducting vaccinations at the regional health technical implementation units. Hence, he instructed the ministry to immediately send a letter, containing the procedures for administering vaccines to workers, to the BP2MI. The letter could serve as a basis for preparing circulars directed at the BP2MI technical implementation units in the regions.
He also emphasized that the program should be implemented after taking into account the condition of each region, departure and return points, as well as policies of the destination country.
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Translator: Rangga Jingga, Uyu Liman
Editor: Sri Haryati
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