We urge the government to once again pay attention to aspects that have been neglected due to COVID-19. Let us consider them once again and create strategic programs to handle other health issuesJakarta (ANTARA) - Executive Board of the Indonesian Medical Association's (PB IDI's) COVID-19 Handling Task Force recommended several steps in the pandemic-handling process, including optimizing policies, such as the COVID-19 vaccination program consolidation.
The first recommendation involves continuing and optimizing all policies proven effective to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19, such as the national vaccination program consolidation, Task Force's Head, Erlina Burhan, noted at a virtual press conference, Friday.
The collaboration between the regional and central governments, the military, and the police is necessary to bolster the coverage for booster dose vaccine.
In addition, the implementation of health protocols, testing, and tracing should be ensured to bring down Indonesia's positive rate to below five percent.
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The second recommendation involves the government facilitating and working together with the public and various parties that seek to encourage success in leading a clean and healthy lifestyle.
"We urge the government to once again pay attention to aspects that have been neglected due to COVID-19. Let us consider them once again and create strategic programs to handle other health issues," Burhan remarked.
Health problems in Indonesia are not just about COVID-19 but also other communicable diseases, such as tuberculosis, and non-communicable diseases, including cancer, she pointed out.
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IDI's COVID-19 Task Force also urged the people to implement a clean and healthy lifestyle, starting with themselves and their families while helping to disseminate information on it to those in their vicinity.
The implementation of such a lifestyle becomes one of the keys to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19, she affirmed.
She also called on the people to complete the COVID-19 vaccination program, including for the booster dose, and comply with the government's regulation on COVID-19 mitigation.
Monkeypox handling was the topic of discussion at the virtual press conference.
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Translator: Prisca Triferna, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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