Sri Mulyani Mentioned that COVID-19 Medical Workers Will Get the 13th Salary

Menteri Keuangan, Sri Mulyani. (Foto: Setkab)

JAKARTA - Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati stated that health workers and non-health workers will receive additional incentives in the form of a 13th salary. This incentive is a government appreciation for health workers to deal with COVID-19 patients.

"The president is considering to give rewards to health and non-health workers. Such as the 13th salary or additional rewards to them. This is being prepared by the Ministry of Health," she said in a video conference, Monday, August 10.

Sri Mulyani explained that so far, proposals regarding the expansion or extension of incentives are being drafted by the Ministry of Health. The government has also supported the budget for hospitals to increase the recovery rate and reduce the death rate from COVID-19.

"It is necessary to accelerate the process of procuring medical devices and speed up the claim process for treatment costs as well," she said.

As is well-known, the government has provided a number of incentives for health workers. Among them are incentives in the form of money for central and regional health workers which are disbursed every month. In fact, this incentive has been extended. Initially, it would end in September, but it's now extended to December.

Incentives are also extended to non-health workers. Such as lab personnel, supporting jobs in hospitals, administration until December. 

"There is additional appreciation from the government for those who carry out the front line tasks of COVID-19," she explained.

Sri said that the total funds needed from the expansion of incentives for health workers, the 13th salaries for the health workers, accelerated procurement, socialization, and vaccines, resulted in a proposed budget of IDR 23.3 trillion.

Until today, the realization of the health budget in COVID-19 has only reached IDR 7.14 trillion. The value is equivalent to 8.4 percent of IDR 87.55 trillion. This figure also reaches 14.4 percent of the DIPA or budget that already has the information on the implementation of IDR 45.9 trillion.