COVID-19 Vaccination, Budget Absorption Are Gov’t Top Priority: Deputy Health Minister

Deputy Minister of Health Dante Saksono Harbuwono attends the inauguration at the State Palace, Wednesday (23/12) Photo by: BPMI

COVID-19 vaccination is the Government’s top priority in order to achieve herd immunity, newly-appointed Deputy Minister of Health Dante Saksono Harbuwono has said.

“The vaccine is very important because through immediate vaccination, we will achieve better herd immunity,” Dante said in a press conference after his inauguration at the State Palace on Wednesday (23/12).

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, Dante added, has also ordered Ministry of Health to speed up its budget absorption amid COVID-19 pandemic.

For the record, President Jokowi on Wednesday (23/12) at the State Palace, Jakarta inaugurated six new ministers, including Budi Gunadi Sadikin as Minister of Health, replacing Terawan.

“The absorption of budget is our backbone to deal with this pandemic,” he said.

Dante further said that he would work with the newly-appointed Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin to accelerate health care services.

Born in the Central Java town of Temanggung on March 23, 1973, Dante Saksono Harbuwono is a doctor, teacher and researcher. One of his previous positions was as member of the Presidential Team of Doctors of the Republic of Indonesia, Chair of the Endocrine Metabolic Division. (SND/UN) (RI/EP)