"We will raise three priority issues for the health working group that are leading the global health system resilience, harmonizing global health protocol standards, and expanding the global manufacturing hub for low-middle income countries," Pambudi stated at a talk show on Indonesia's G20 presidency viewed from Jakarta on Monday.
Apart from the three priority issues, Indonesia will also suggest member countries to share their knowledge and experiences regarding measures to respond to and prevent a pandemic, such as COVID-19, he affirmed.
A preliminary meeting between G20 ambassadors and international organizations, such as the WHO, UNICEF, and the World Bank, was held on Wednesday, Dec 8, 2021, to deliberate on the upcoming meeting of health ministers, the coordinator noted.
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Pambudi remarked that Indonesia, as the first developing country to preside over the G20 presidency, must represent the interests of other developing countries in the global community.
"We must ensure that developing countries not only become the market destination but also serve in the manufacturing, development, and production of health equipment," Pambudi remarked.
The coordinator expressed optimism over the smooth implementation of G20 agendas in Indonesia, as the government currently strives to keep the COVID-19 Omicron variant at bay by intensifying monitoring at every entry point.
"We also intensify monitoring at every international entry point at the three airports of Bali, Jakarta, and Manado, as well as the Batam Port," he affirmed.
The health ministry also bolsters health workers and information systems utilized at entry points to detect possible Omicron cases and take precautionary measures to prevent the virus variant from entering Indonesia, the coordinator remarked.
"We are providing sophisticated laboratory equipment to detect the COVID-19 virus variant, and we will promptly deliver any positive samples detected at entry points to our laboratory in Jakarta," Pambudi stated.
He noted that until recently, the authority had yet to detect any positive Omicron virus variant from samples collected at entry points.
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Translator: Sanya Dinda S, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
