President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo (Jokowi), ensured the WHO that everything will be okay in Indonesia. (Image via Bali Express)

Amid COVID-19, Jokowi answers WHO's demand for Indonesia

President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, answered the letter from the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, which asked Indonesia to enhance its emergency mechanism facing the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the land.

Reported by the Presidential Spokesperson on Saturday, Fadjroel Rachman, after receiving the letter, the President then made a phone call to Ghebreyesus immediately on Friday afternoon. Fadjroel stated that it is usual to see lettering activity between international agencies and organizations and Jokowi.

Jokowi pointed out that the majority of recommendations determined by the WHO have been done by the Indonesian government amid the COVID-19 outbreak. One of which is by issuing Presidential Decree (Keppres) No. 7 of 2020 regarding action plan for COVID-19 to sharpen the governmental coordination skill.

On the other hand, Fadjroel also revealed that there is a Circular of the Health Ministry No. HK.02.01/Menkes/199/2020 on five protocols to handle COVID-19 for central and regional governments.

Through his tweet on Twitter, Ghebreyesus, after holding talks with Jokowi, thanked the President of Indonesia for keeping and preparing the healthcare system and other sectors in battling the COVID-19. Moreover, the Director-General also agreed to enhance cooperation to ensure WHO’s readiness to support Indonesia.

Written in his letter on 10 March 2020, Ghebreyesus said that the WHO is working as best as it could to analyze and circulate the information on COVID-19. Altogether, Ghebreyesus also asked all countries to make efforts to slow down the infection of COVID-19.

The WHO asked Indonesia to build a laboratory with sufficient capacity and form a team to identify the infection so that the specimen could be taken. Not only the positive but also the suspects from acute influenza to lethargy and shortness of breath.

Source: https://bit.ly/2QczdBs