Presidents Instructs Health Ministry to Prepare Comprehensive Planning for COVID-19 Testing

President Jokowi accompanied by Vice President Ma’ruf Amin lead the Plenary Cabinet Meeting on Health and Economic Recovery for Strengthening Reforms in 2021, at the State Palace, Jakarta, Monday (7/9). (Photo by: PR/Agung)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo instructed Ministry of Health to prepare a detailed and comprehensive planning on COVID-19 testing.

“I don’t want to see some provinces have low testing rate while the other provinces have fared well testing,” President Jokowi said in his introductory remarks at the Plenary Cabinet Meeting on Health and Economic Recovery for Strengthening Reforms in 2021, at the State Palace, Jakarta, Monday (7/9).

According to the President, the planning must be done comprehensively including determining the number of laboratory and distribution of reagent required in each province.

“We need the planning to know the percentage of positive case in regions and provinces. In addition, laboratory network strategy is really important regardless administrative regions. Thus, once again, the planning must be prepared,” he added.

On that occasion, the President also asserted that health issue must be well addressed so the economy can be recovered as soon as possible.

“We must not restart the economy before having successfully addressed the health issue. It will be dangerous,” he concluded.  (TGH/EN)

Translated by : Rany Anjany
Reviewed by: Mia Medyana