"We acknowledge that foreign direct grants offer a significant advantage as strategic budget sources, providing flexibility in their utilization and bridging the funding gap for the Ministry of Health programs," Deputy Health Minister Dante Saksono Harbuwono stated at the Indonesia Health Partners Meeting here on Wednesday.
Harbuwono remarked that in 2023, a grant worth some US$276.2 million was channeled to fund the ministry's programs. Almost 48 percent of that amount, or US$131.8 million, is used to fund the programs' implementation, public assistance, medical devices, and management support.
Moreover, US$72.8 million, or 26.4 percent, is used for services, including regional technical assistance and training, he remarked.
He also pointed out that US$71.6 million, or 25.9 percent, is used for goods, such as drugs, vaccines, and medical devices.
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The deputy minister expressed gratitude for the partners who have supported them in achieving the health transformation agenda. He highlighted that some 30 foreign entities have given them the grant.
According to Harbuwono, the grant addresses the funding gap in the national budget as well as facilitates driving some innovative approaches in the health sector, such as by providing more opportunities for health professionals to hone their skills with the use of advanced technology and by facilitating in making significant strides in vaccine, therapy, diagnosis technology, as well as biotechnology.
The deputy minister affirmed that numerous achievements in the health sector such as tuberculosis screening and treatment as well as the integration of immunization services with WhatsApp are not solely attainable through the Health Ministry's work, but rather, are the result of collaborative efforts.
He expected that the meeting would help to facilitate partners in voicing ideas, strategies, and aspirations for the betterment of the national health sector.
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Reporter: Mecca Yumna Ning Prisie
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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