Ministry Of Health: Endemic Policy Will Be Regulated Through Presidential Decree

ILLUSTRATION OF DOK VOI

JAKARTA - Head of the Communication and Public Service Bureau of the Ministry of Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, said that the policy of responding to the COVID-19 endemic in Indonesia was further regulated through a Presidential Decree (Keppres).

"We welcome the President's decision to revoke the status of the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia, and then look at other related and necessary regulations, including the Presidential Decree regarding this matter," said Nadia Tarmizi as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, June 21.

Nadia said the government's decision to end the COVID-19 pandemic status was marked by the repeal of Presidential Decree No. 11 of 2020 concerning the Determination of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.

"Currently, the next decision that regulates the endemic situation in Indonesia is still in the process of discussing with relevant stakeholders with President Joko Widodo," said Nadia.

According to him, one of the impacts of the end of health emergency status in Indonesia is the delegation of COVID-19 control to each individual, including the COVID-19 patient care financing scheme, health protocols, and vaccinations that are no longer borne by the government.

Nadia said the COVID-19 patient care financing scheme for the underprivileged is still in the transition process to the BPJS Health Contribution Assistance Recipients (PBI) group.

"During the pandemic, the hospital claims directly to the Ministry of Health, but later through BPJSHealth. The data is verified, if true, then the government pays through the BPJS claim mechanism, but the source of the money is not BPJS," he said.

Regarding health protocols, said Nadia, it is left to each relevant stakeholder, both in the transportation sector, education services, and public area managers.

He said the COVID-19 vaccination program was confirmed to continue during the endemic period through integration into routine government programs as a long-term mitigation effort.

"As of this afternoon it is still being discussed. There has been no change in the rules until later new rules are issued," he said.

President Joko Widodo in a press statement at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, today officially revokes the status of the COVID-19 pandemic and Indonesia is starting to enter the endemic period of COVID-19.

"After more than three years of fighting together against the COVID-19 pandemic, since today, Wednesday, June 21, 2023, the government has decided to revoke the status of the pandemic and we are starting to enter an endemic period," said President Joko Widodo.