Coordinating Minister For Human Development And Culture: COVID-19 Task Force Disbanded When Emergency Status Revoked

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy when met at the Jakarta Presidential Palace Complex, Tuesday (13/6/2023) (ANTARA/Mentari Dwi Gayati)

Coordinating Minister (Menko) for Human Development and Culture (PMK) Muhadjir Effendy said the COVID-19 Handling Task Force (Satgas) would be disbanded after the government officially revoked the emergency status of the pandemic in Indonesia.

This was conveyed by Coordinating Minister Muhadjir after attending a limited meeting (ratas) regarding the current condition of the COVID-19 pandemic at the State Palace, Jakarta, Tuesday, June 13.

"The task force has automatically disbanded," said Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture MuhadjirEffendy as quoted by ANTARA.

He explained that President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) immediately revoked the health emergency status in Indonesia and the transition of pandemic status to endemic.

The regulation that will be revoked by President Jokowi is Presidential Decree No. 11 of 2020 concerning the Determination of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.

The decision to revoke the health emergency status is in line with the World Health Organization (WHO) which has already revoked the status of the Public Health Emergency of the International Concern (PHEIC) for COVID-19 on May 5, 2023.

"This COVID-19 is still there, but it has been decided that the President will be revoked soon, the time is waiting for his announcement," he said.

With the new provisions, he continued, vaccines will later be included in the normal service scheme and are included in ordinary infectious diseases.

COVID-19 vaccination will also be borne by the government through BPJS Kesehatan, especially for people who are unable to receive Contribution Assistance (PBI).