Budget Is Depleted, Yogyakarta Stops Gandeng Gendong Program Of Food Aid For Self-Isolation Patients

YOGYAKARTA - The Social Service of Manpower and Transmigration of Yogyakarta City decided to stop providing food assistance for COVID-19 patients who are self-isolated at home. The cause is the allocation of budgets that have been depleted.

"We are working on refocusing the budget for the fulfillment of food assistance for self-isolation patients. As soon as possible we can fulfill it again," said Head of Social Service of Manpower and Transmigration of Yogyakarta City, Maryustion Tonang, in Yogyakarta, as quoted by Antara, Tuesday, April 12.

The cessation of food assistance for self-isolation patients was carried out at the end of March. The funds allocated to provide food aid amounting to Rp. 600 million have been absorbed 100 percent.

The Social Service of Manpower and Transmigration of Yogyakarta City conducted a pattern of empowerment of community culinary groups who are members of the Gandeng Gendong program to meet food needs for self-isolation patients.

"As it turns out, the number of patients who do self-isolation at home according to the recommendations of the public health center is quite a lot so the budget allocated is not enough," he said.

Each patient who performs self-isolation will get food assistance three times a day. "Usually, in one house there is not only one patient who is self-isolated, but almost all the occupants of the house also fall into the category of self-isolation," he said.

Despite temporarily stopping food aid for self-isolation patients at home, Maryustion ensures that food needs for COVID-19 patients undergoing isolation at Tegalrejo Shelter are met.

Meanwhile, Chairman of COVID-19 Special Committee of Yogyakarta City Parliament Antonius Fokki Ardiyanto proposed that food assistance for self-isolation patients be allocated through unexpected budget posts.

"If using the budget refocusing mechanism then it requires a long process. It is better to use unexpected costs so that people who undergo self-isolation can also ensure the fulfillment of food needs," he said.

Mutual assistance in the community to help residents who undergo self-isolation, Fokki continued, can not be used as a reason for the local government not to immediately solve the problem.

"The state must be present in the pandemic period as it is today. If allocated through unexpected costs, the food handling will be returned to the COVID-19 Task Force. Hopefully, next week the food aid is back flowing," he said.