President Jokowi Orders Ministers to Provide Best Medical Treatment for Former Badminton Player
Minister of Youth and Sports Zainudin Amali visits Indonesian badminton legend Verawaty Wiharjo, Monday (09/20). Photo by: PR of Ministry of Youth and Sports/Imanuel.
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has ordered Minister of Youth and Sports and Minister of Health to provide the best medical treatment for Indonesian badminton legend Verawaty Wiharjo who is being hospitalized for lung cancer.
“Mr. President has ordered Minister of Youth and Sports to pay the medical expenses for Ibu Verawaty. The President also ordered Minister of Health to provide the best medical care to Mrs. Verawaty,” Head of Presidential Secretariat Heru Budi Hartono said when visiting Verawaty at Dharmais Hospital, Jakarta, Monday (09/20).
Heru also handed over President Jokowi’s cash assistance of Rp. 100 million to Verawaty.
“Ibu Verawaty, I am delivering cash assistance from the President. The President sends his greetings and prayers for Ibu Verawaty’s recovery,” Heru said.
As a follow-up to the President’s directives, not long after Head of the Presidential Secretariat visited Dharmais Hospital, Minister of Youth and Sports Zainudin Amali also visited Verawaty.
Verawaty’s treatment at Dharmais Hospital will be covered by Social Security Agency for Health Care (BPJS Kesehatan). Ministry of Youth and Sports has upgraded Verawaty’s BPJS class from the 2nd class to the 1st class.
Secretary of Ministry of Youth and Sports Gatot Sulistiantoro Dewa Broto said that the Ministry will ensure that Verawaty receive the best medical treatment, and will pay any additional cost for the treatment.
In the meantime, Head of Legal, Organization and Public Relations of Dharmais Hospital Anjari Umarjianto said that the Hospital will provide the best facilities for the Indonesian badminton legend.
For the record, Verawaty Wiharjo is a former Indonesian badminton athlete who has won many titles in women’s singles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles category.
She was the champion in Women’s Singles category in the 1980 IBF World Championships, won gold medal at the 1978 Asian Games Women’s Doubles category, won the 1979 All England Women’s Doubles title with Imelda Wiguna, and won the 1986 World Cup Mixed Doubles title with Eddy Hartono.
Verawaty also handed over the 2018 Asian Games torch to President Jokowi at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on August 17, 2018, the day before the opening ceremony of the 2018 Asian Games. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat/UN) (RI/LW)
