Minister Of Health Reviews The Readiness Of The Location For COVID-19 Vaccination In Ubud Bali That Jokowi Will Visit

Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin reviews the preparation of vaccination sites in the Ubud, Bali area, which President Joko Widodo plans to visit (ANTARA)

GIANYAR - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin reviewed the preparation for the vaccination site in the Ubud area, Gianyar Regency, Bali, which President Joko Widodo plans to visit on March 16.

"Let us support vaccination in order to achieve a healthy community and a revived economy," Budi Gunadi said as quoted by Antara, Friday, March 12.

Accompanied by the Governor of Bali Wayan Koster and Bali Deputy Governor Tjokorda Oka Artha Ardhana Sukawati, the Minister of Health visited the first location at Puskesmas 1 Ubud, then the Ubud and Ubud Village offices.

Vaccination will be centered in Ubud Palace with 50 screening. After inspecting the Ubud Palace, the group continued their visit to Maxone, before heading back to Jakarta.

He hopes that with the intensification of COVID-19 vaccination for the community, they will soon be able to restore the Indonesian economy, especially Bali. Moreover, most Balinese people are very dependent on the tourism sector.

Budi Gunadi conveyed that Indonesia and Bali in particular are preparing to open tourism in 2022. Ubud and two other locations in Bali (Sanur and Nusa Dua) will become "pilot projects" for foreign tourists to visit.

"This will only be opened because the Balinese economy will die if tourism is not opened," he said.

However, due to the consideration of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bali tourism cannot be opened quickly.

"I understand, people and tourism actors hope that Bali will be opened quickly for foreign tourism, but we must consider this pandemic situation," he said.

Minister of Health Budi Gunadi added, to gain trust from the international community, Bali is obliged to properly implement health protocols for the prevention of COVID-19. Moreover, Bali will be opened first for world tourism. "Therefore, everything must be carefully prepared," he said.