JAKARTA - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin admitted that he would meet with the Head of the World Health Organization or WHO Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in May. Budi will consult with the Head of WHO regarding the plan to lift the status of the COVID-19 pandemic to endemic.
"I want to meet the Head of WHO himself. The plan is, in May, to talk about whether we do (revocation of the status of the pandemic) whether it is appropriate, proper, or the right way and timing," said Budi in the Cempaka Putih area, Wednesday, February 22.
Budi said he had spoken to the WHO ranks regarding the mechanism for revocation of the pandemic status. WHO, said Budi, submitted a decision to declare the revocation of the pandemic to each country.
However, WHO reminded each country that plans to change the status of the pandemic to endemic to first coordinate regarding indicators that need to be achieved with other countries as well as planning a similar revocation.
Several countries that will soon revoke the status of the pandemic are Japan and the United States. The two countries plan to declare it in May.
"He (WHO) gave a note, if it can be harmonized with other countries. There are already two countries that plan to change from pandemic to endemic, namely Japan and the United States. After all, this pandemic is the world. It would be better if we coordinate with countries in the world," he explained.
Previously, President Joko Widodo officially revoked the status of the implementation of restrictions on community activities (PPKM) in Indonesia as of February 30, 2022. However, the status of the pandemic has not been revoked. Thus, the public is still required to implement health protocols.
On February 14, President Director of Bio Farma Honesti Basyir revealed that the government projects that the status of the COVID-19 pandemic will be revoked in August 2023.
However, the Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, Mohammad Syahril, said there was no certainty regarding when the government would revoke the status of the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia.
There are parameters for the revocation of the status of the pandemic in a country set by WHO. Among them is that the development of COVID-19 cases is very under control, the occupancy rate of COVID-19 patients in hospitals and the death rate is low, until the majority of people have undergone booster vaccinations.
"Not only Indonesia, but other nations can be revoked if the parameters can be controlled. So, it takes the role of all parties that booster vaccination is in ending this pandemic," said Syahril.
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