Benjamin Becomes Deputy Minister Of Health: Minister Of Health Says To Overcome TB, Palace Affirms Special MBG

Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi gave information after the inauguration of a number of officials at the State Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday (8/10/2025). ANTARA/Fathur Rochman

JAKARTA - Minister of State Secretary (Wamensesneg) Prasetyo Hadi said President Prabowo Subianto's decision to add one Deputy Minister of Health (Wamenkes) in the structure of members of the Red and White Cabinet aims to overcome the problem of the implementation of Free Nutrition Food (MBG) by the National Nutrition Agency (BGN).

Presiden Prabowo Subianto menilai adanya penambahan satu Wamenkes dr. Benjamin Paulus Octavianus, yang mendampingi Wamenkes Dante Saksono Harbuwono dapat membantu besar tugas di Kementerian Kesehatan, termasuk kasus dugaan penyakit akibat MBG.

"For the Deputy Minister of Health, equally because it is so big and so heavy on duty at the Ministry of Health, including to help ensure several problems (MBG) that occurred in the National Nutrition Agency, the President decided to appoint and add one deputy minister at the Ministry of Health," said Prasetyo Hadi when giving a statement after the inauguration of a number of officials at the State Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday.

It is known, cases of alleged mass poisoning that befell hundreds of students after eating Free Nutrition (MBG) were designated as Extraordinary Events (KLB) in a number of areas, including in West Bandung Regency and Garut Regency.

President Prabowo Subianto has also assigned a number of related Ministries and Institutions (K/L) to strengthen BGN's governance in response to the MBG menu poisoning incident that previously occurred in a number of areas.

Prasetyo admitted that the many tasks within the Ministry of Health, as well as handling the MBG problem, were the reasons President Prabowo added one deputy health minister.

Meanwhile, dr. Benjamin Paulus Octavianus was officially appointed Deputy Minister of Health at the State Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday.

Benjamin Paulus' inauguration was carried out based on Presidential Decree (Keppres) Number 32M of 2025 concerning the Dismissal and Appointment of Deputy Ministers of the Red and White Cabinet for the 2024 '2029 Term of Office.

Based on the information gathered, dr. Benjamin Paulus is a lung specialist who served as Special Assistant to the Minister of Defense for Health when Prabowo Subianto served as Minister of Defense.

Previously, Minister of Health (Menkes) Budi Gunadi Sadikin said that Benjamin Paulus Octavianus was appointed as the new Deputy Minister of Health, adding that there was already Deputy Minister of Health Dante Saksono Harbuwono, as part of President Prabowo Subianto's strategic steps to strengthen the prevention of tuberculosis (TBC).

"Benjamin Paulus Octavianus already knows, yes, he is a pulmonary specialist. One of the attentions of the President regarding the acceleration of the elimination of tuberculosis, he is his passion," said the Minister of Health at the Presidential Palace complex, Jakarta, today.