Children Victims Of COVID-19 In Surabaya Receive Assistance From The Ministry Of Social Affairs-City Government

Mayor of Surabaya Eri Cahyadi/PHOTO VIA ANTARA

SURABAYA - Child victims of COVID-19 in the city of Surabaya, East Java, have received assistance regularly every month from the Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos) and the local City Government (Pemkot).

Acting (Plt) Head of the Surabaya City Population Control, Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Agency (DP5A) Antiek Sugiharti said, in addition to assistance from the Surabaya City Government, the Ministry of Social Affairs also provided direct intervention to these children.

"Children affected by COVID-19 every month receive assistance in the form of money which is directly transferred from the Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs to their respective accounts," he said, quoted by Antara, Friday, November 5.

Meanwhile, the Surabaya City Government has provided interventions to 1,258 children who have been victims of COVID-19, starting from assistance related to population administration, health, food and education.

Antiek explained, from a total of 1,258 children affected by COVID-19, the Surabaya City Government has intervened about 90 percent in terms of population administration, both related to making child cards, managing parents' death certificates, and family cards (KK).

"Those (children) who are already 17 years old, the KK can be orphaned themselves. But those who haven't, then we have to include them in their families. It has been processed and maybe 90 percent has been done," he said.

Not only intervention regarding population administration, he continued, Antiek also stated that the children had also received food assistance from the city government.

"Food assistance from the Social Service (Social Service) for orphans has also been followed up," he said.

In addition, Antiek said, the Surabaya City Government has also covered the children's health costs through BPJS Health. If previously the children were covered by medical expenses from their parents' place of work, then it would be financed by the city government.

"When yesterday their parents were there, the BPJS could be from their parents' office. Now (the parents) are not there (died), then the city government has transferred and financed it. It has been 99 percent implemented," he said.

While related to the education sector, Antiek admitted that the children affected by COVID-19 had also been facilitated by the Surabaya City Education Office (Dispendik). Whether it's elementary, junior high, high school / vocational school or those who are currently studying in college.

"If they are in public schools, of course, they don't need tuition fees. But for living expenses for other things, we also facilitate assistance from the city government. We have also submitted this to the Ministry of Social Affairs," he said.