We should build proactive collaboration to prevent it from happening.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Health Ministry awarded 232 health workers and mortuary officers for their contribution to COVID-19 handling efforts.

"Representing the government, I lauded all health workers throughout Indonesia for continuing to take care of Indonesian people," Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said in a statement received here on Thursday.

Health workers have always played an important role in disaster response, and especially amid the pandemic, he said adding, their hard work has helped mitigate the impacts of disasters on victims.

"Health workers and other supporting officers are working well and quickly in handling the pandemic," the minister said.

Furthermore, he urged the officers to be proactive in pandemic prevention by establishing cross-sectoral cooperation.

“Since handling the pandemic is our duty, we should not wait for the pandemic to happen first before we could give any response. We should build proactive collaboration to prevent it from happening" he said.

Related news: More attention needs to be paid to workers' safety: Sadikin

In addition, the government must build international collaboration to prevent the transmission of the virus among countries, he added.

Meanwhile, acting head of the Board for Development and Empowerment of Health Human Resources (PPSDMKes) at the ministry, Kirana Pritasari, said that amid the pandemic, health workers have become the main fighters protecting the community.

"Today, we give appreciation from the government to health workers and supporting officers who work in the Community Health Centers, hospitals, and other health facilities which treat COVID-19 patients," she added.

They handle the patients directly, thus they face a high risk of exposure to COVID-19, she pointed out. Despite that, they have to maintain essential health services, she said.

In addition, Pritasari noted that the officers have also played a crucial role in achieving the COVID-19 vaccination coverage, which has reached more than 208 million doses.

Currently, the government has administered more than 127 million first doses, more than 80 million second doses, and more than 1.1 million third doses of the coronavirus vaccine, she said.

Related news: Minister reprimands 10 regional heads over health workers' incentives



Translator: Andi Firdaus, Uyu Liman
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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