The More Requests For Food And Nutrition Assistance, Risma Is Happy

Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini inspects the activities of the Ministry of Social's public kitchen at the Convention Hall, Jalan Arif Rahman Hakim, Surabaya, Saturday, July 10 (Photo: ANTARA/HO-Kemensos)

JAKARTA – The food and nutritional needs of health workers and field workers during the COVID-19 pandemic must be guaranteed. Their health is one of the determinants of the success of handling the pandemic.

The large number of requests for nutrition and food assistance for medical personnel and field officers made the Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini happy.

"I'm glad I heard the request because they really have to be healthy with food and nutrition support. How can they work well if they're not healthy. Instead, they can be exposed," Risma said in her statement while reviewing public kitchen activities at the Convention Hall, Surabaya. , Saturday, July 10.

Risma reviewed the activities of the Ministry of Social's public kitchen at the Convention Hall, Jalan Arif Rahman Hakim, Surabaya. From this public kitchen, 5,500 rice boxes were produced which were distributed to communities affected by COVID-19 in Surabaya and surrounding areas, such as Sidoarjo, Bangkalan (Madura), and Gresik.

The Minister of Social Affairs accompanied by the Secretary of the Directorate General of Social Protection and Security, Robben Rico, reviewed the cooking activities carried out by 133 Cadets of Saiga Disaster (Tatana) supported by other social pillars.

Risma also invites the business world, philanthropists, and the wider community to jointly help provide food. This is because the Ministry of Social's budget is very limited.

“The Ministry of Social's budget is limited. So, yes, I ask for help from philanthropists who are willing to provide assistance," he said.

Risma expressed her appreciation for the dedication of Tagana and other social pillars, both in the public kitchens of the Ministry of Social Affairs in Surabaya and other cities, and their general involvement in handling the impact of the pandemic in all corners of the country.

"I really appreciate the dedication of Tagana and other social pillars. They work with dedication in the midst of a risky situation," he said.

Apart from Tagana, sub-district social welfare workers (TKSK), Karang Taruna, community social workers (PSM), and PKH assistants were also involved.

The menu cooked in this public kitchen is white rice, beef rendang, fried cap cay, dry tempeh, and boiled eggs. Of the 5,500 boxes of rice today, 1,500 were distributed to Bangkalan Regency, 1,250 boxes to Gresik Regency, and 2,750 to Surabaya City.

The Ministry of Social Affairs also activated a public kitchen at Balai Mahatmya in Tabanan, Bali. This public kitchen produces 1,500 packs (3,000) of boiled eggs which will be distributed to health workers (nakes) and self-isolated patients in the Tabanan Regency area.

624 packs of boiled eggs were sent to the health workers at Tabanan District General Hospital, 149 packs of Nyitdah Hospital, 250 packs of Wisma Prasanti Hospital, 154 packs of Dharma Kerti Hospital, 138 packs of Bakti Rahayu Hospital, 82 packs of Samara Ratih Hospital, 72 packs of Kediri Health Center, isolation patients independently in Kediri District as many as 31 packs.

The central government has established an emergency PPKM policy for Java and Bali. In accordance with the central government's assignment, the Ministry of Social Affairs handles the field of social protection. The distribution of ready-to-eat food and cooked eggs as additional nutrition is part of the Ministry of Social's support in implementing social protection policies.

In addition, the Ministry of Social Affairs also distributes social assistance to increase people's purchasing power during emergency PPKM, namely by distributing three types of social assistance: the Family Hope Program (PKH), Non-Cash Food Assistance (BPNT) / Basic Food Cards and Cash Social Assistance (BST). The Ministry of Social Affairs in collaboration with Bulog also distributed 10 kg of rice for KPM PKH and KPM BST with the aim of meeting the basic needs of people affected by the pandemic.