INDONESIA TO FOCUS ON ECONOMIC RECOVERY DURING G20 PRESIDENCY by Fardah

 

Jakarta, 22/9/2021(ANTARA) - Indonesia will assume the Presidency of G20 in late 2021 for the first time since the forum was established in 1999. Indonesia was invited to join the forum in 2008.

Italy, the current G20 president, will hand over the presidency to Indonesia at the Rome Summit, which is scheduled on October 30-31, 2021.

Indonesia was elected to the G20 Presidency for 2022 during the G20 Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in November 2020.

It will hold the G20 Presidency, themed Recover Together, Recover Stronger to reflect the spirit of collective recovery, from December 1, 2021 till November 2022.

The Group of 20 or G20 is an international forum that brings together the worlds major economies. Its members account for more than 80 percent of global GDP (gross domestic product), 75 percent of global trade, and 60 percent of the population of the planet.

The G20 members comprise Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union. Spain is also invited as a permanent guest.

In fact, Indonesia, the worlds fourth most populous nation, is the only ASEAN (Association of the Southeast Asian Nations) state that was invited to join as a G20 member.

To ensure the smooth and successful implementation of the G20 events that will be hosted by Indonesia next year, President Joko Widodo has issued decree No. 12 of 2021 on the National Organizing Committee (OC) of the Indonesian G20 Presidency.

The OC members include Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, as chairman I of Sherpa Track; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno L. P. Marsudi, as chairman II of Sherpa Track; Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, as chairman I of Finance Track; the Governor of Bank Indonesia as chairman II of Finance Track; Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law, and Security, Mahfud MD, as chairman of events; and Minister of Communication and Informatics, Johnny G. Plate, as chairman of communication and media for the G20 Summit.

Indonesia will have seven priority agendas for the finance track for Indonesia's G20 Presidency in 2022, according to Minister Indrawati.

 

 

Puisi

Coretan untuk Penantara

Aku tak pandai menulis puisi
Juga tak biasa berfantasi
Ku hanya  sampaikan coretan sederhana
Sebagai tanda ku turut serta
Berlayar dalam bahtera  Penantara

Di penghujung usia kita
Tetap menjalin silaturahim lewat WA
Tutup ruang  syak wasangka
Hilangkan rasa dengki dan iri
Pelihara kesucian  hati

Kenanglah  hal yang indah-indah saja
Saat muda dan berkarya di Antara
Bekerja  siang dan malam
Menjalin kebersamaan
Serta bercanda bersama teman-teman

Buang jauh kenangan pahit
Agar sehat dan jauh dari penyakit
Selagi masih ada rezeki, jangan pelit
Mari selalu berbagi, walau hanya sedikit

Biarkan hal-hal sepele berlalu
Tak berguna kita terpaku
Mari saling menyapa dan tersenyum
Hidup terlalu singkat untuk muram dan murung

Wadah bagi para lansia
Yang terkadang ceriwis, kadang ceria
Ruang untuk melepas rindu dan bercanda
Damai dan maju selalu Penantara tercinta

Pondok Gede, 31 Agustus 2021
Fardah


Dirundung COVID-19

Di penghujung tahun  dua ribu sembilan belas
Muncul hantaman yang sangat keras
Tanpa diduga, dunia dilanda COVID
Yang membuat  kehidupan morat marit

COVID membuyarkan rencana dan impian
Banyak orang terpapar bergantian
Korbanya  pria mau pun wanita
Tak memandang  tua  atau muda

Rumah sakit penuh  berjejalan
Hingga tenaga kesehatan kewalahan
COVID-19  banyak memakan  korban
Menyebar petaka dan kemalangan

Sejumlah dokter dan perawat pun gugur
Tak sedikit anak-anak melihat orangtua dikubur
Mendadak menjadi  yatim  dan hati hancur

Perekonomian dunia  terjungkal
Pariwisata global mati suri
Manusia  dalam rumah terkunci

Orang miskin bertambah papa
Mereka tak bekerja dan tak berdaya
Anehnya,  banyak pejabat makin kaya raya
 
Namun, takdir membawa hikmah
Keluarga makin dekat
Alam mulai bersih dan sehat
 
Pondok Gede,  14 September 2021
Fardah

Bionarasi:
Fardah terlahir di Surabaya,  Jawa Timur pada  17 November 1961, dari ibu kelahiran Gresik dan ayah dari Banjarmasin. Tumbuh dan besar di Kota Pahlawan,  sekeluarga pindah ke Jakarta pada tahun 1979 karena tuntutan pekerjaan ayah.
Setelah  lulus Program Diploma Inggris, Universitas Indonesia (UI) di Kampus UI Rawamangun pada tahun 1984,  langsung mulai bekerja di LKBN Antara di bagian Redaksi Inggris.
Bekerja aktif sebagai redaktur di Antara hingga tahun 2019,  membuat impian menjadi nyata, yaitu mengunjungi berbagai negara , mengenali sejumlah suku bangsa, dan menikmati keindahan alam semesta.

INDONESIA PUSHES VACCINATION DRIVE FURTHER IN COVID-19 FIGHT by Fardah

 

Jakarta, 7/9/2021 (ANTARA) - After a long battle since June 2021, Indonesia has finally emerged from the second tsunami wave of COVID-19 infections.

This has been made possible through the assistance of all stakeholders at the national level and several countries that have donated vaccines, medicines, oxygen, and other medical equipment to aid Indonesia's COVID-handling efforts.

Triggered by the Delta variant, the drastic COVID-19 spike overwhelmed the nation, with daily cases hitting a record 56,757 on July 15, 2021. The highest daily deaths were recorded at 2,069 on July 27, 2021.

Following the implementation of strict restrictions on peoples movement since July 3, 2021 and an accelerated vaccination program, the country managed to bring down daily cases to 7,201 on September 7, 2021, bringing the total COVID-19 tally to 4,140,634. Meanwhile, the daily deaths stood at 683, taking the total toll to 137,156.

The Health Ministry highlighted the positive trend in developments pertaining to efforts to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, as evidenced by a decline in the case count.

The number of confirmed cases have declined up to 25 percent, the mortality rate has gone down by 37 percent, and the positivity rate has decreased by 10.36 percent, while the recovery rate has continued to increase, it said.

"The key to successful handling of COVID-19 is strongly influenced by several factors, including the vaccination program, which plays a vital and very important role," Vice President Maruf Amin said while reviewing a vaccination program at UI Salemba in Jakarta on September 7, 2021.

Amin appealed to people, who have received the COVID-19 vaccine, to continue to follow strict health protocols. He also asked regional authorities to intensify the 3Ts (testing, tracing, and treatment).

Despite geographical constraints, the government is targeting to vaccinate 208 million people, or 77 percent of the total population, against COVID-19 before the end of this year.

COVID WAKE UP CALL FOR INDONESIA TO IMPROVE MEDICAL INDUSTRY CAPACITYby Fardah

 

Jakarta, 1/9/2021 (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo, in a video that later went viral, visited a pharmacy in Bogor, West Java on July 23, 2021 to buy oseltamivir and other COVID-19 medicines only to be told they were not available.

He was told that the medicines were not available as the pharmacy had not received supplies of the anti-virus drugs for a long time.

In July this year, Indonesia saw a record jump in COVID-19 cases due to the spread of the Delta variant in Java and Bali in particular.

The country's daily COVID-19 cases hit a record of 56,757 on July 15, 2021, while the daily deaths touched 2,069 on July 27, 2021.

The grave situation forced the government to enforce strict peoples movement restrictions (PPKM), or semi lockdowns, as the Widodo administration avoided using the term lockdown in handling the pandemic.

The drastic COVID-19 spike overwhelmed the nation. Hospitals became overloaded with COVID-19 patients and the demand for drugs and medical oxygen jumped significantly, forcing the country to import them in larger quantities and accept the helping hand offered by other countries.

More worryingly, Indonesia barely produced three percent of medicines and medical equipment, while the remaining 97 percent were imported, particularly raw materials, according to Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin.

"For medicines, only three percent are produced domestically. We still import 97 percent (of them), since out of the 1,809 drug items in the e-catalog, only 56 drug items are produced domestically," the minister stated at a virtual press conference held to discuss efforts to bolster the use of domestically made medical equipment products.

Out of the 10 major medicinal raw materials, only two are produced domestically, specifically Clopidogrel and Paracetamol, while the rest are still imported, the minister informed. Similarly, most of the country's medical devices are imported, he added.

He then expressed concern over the high percentage of imports in the procurement of medical equipment, medicines, and raw materials for medicines.

Indonesia accelerates vaccination drive to achieve herd immunity by Fardah

 Jakarta, Aug 31, 2021 (Antara) - Indonesia has seen a continuous decline in the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases lately thanks to the enforcement of strict public activity restrictions (PPKM), in Java and Bali Islands in particular, since July 3, 2021.

Besides, the authorities have also carried out massive efforts to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic through increased testing, close-contact tracing, isolation, and quarantine as well as enforcement of health protocols to break the chain of virus transmission.

After nearly two months of implementing the semi-lockdown, the country recorded 5,436 new cases on August 30, 2021, bringing the total COVID-19 tally to 4,079,267, while the daily deaths stood at 568, taking the death toll to 132,491.

The figures showed a sharp decline compared to 56,757 fresh confirmed cases recorded on July 15, 2021, as Indonesia's daily COVID-19 cases hit a record due to the emergence of the Delta variant of COVID-19. The highest daily deaths were recorded at 2,069 on July 27, 2021.

Despite the decline in new cases, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) on August 30, 2021, announced that once again PPKM would be extended until September 6, 2021.

Several regions have seen improvement in COVID-19 handling, hence the government has lowered the PPKM level from 4 to 3 for Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi (Jabodetabek), Surabaya, Bandung, Malang, and Solo, while Semarang's level has been reduced to 2.

In general, the COVID-19 handling in Java and Bali has shown improvement, hence the government will loosen PPKM in stages, the President said.

Despite the relaxation of the PPKM implementation, the public has been told to remain vigilant and adhere to the health protocols, including wearing face masks and keeping a safe distance.

INDONESIA REDOUBLES EFFORTS TO REDUCE CHILDHOOD STUNTING by Fardah

Jakarta, Aug  25, 2021 - Indonesia's children are its future and its most valuable asset. In fact, the present condition of children under the age of five is a reflection of Indonesia’s future.

 

Therefore, the government is eager to make sure that the younger generation grows healthy and becomes a golden generation by prioritizing and accelerating a drastic reduction in stunting rate among Indonesian children.

 

The national stunting rate, recorded at 37 percent in 2013, declined to 30.8 percent in 2018, and 27.6 percent in 2019. Currently, the stunting rate is around 27.7 percent. The government has set a target of reducing the stunting rate to 14 percent by 2024.

 

Four Indonesian districts have continued to report a very high number of cases of stunting, a growth disorder caused by chronic malnutrition in children — Jeneponto (41.3 percent) and Bantaeng districts (21 percent) of South Sulawesi, Minahasa district (38.6 percent) of North Sulawesi, and South Nias district (57 percent) of North Sumatra.

 

However, the government has been facing a huge challenge in the implementation of the stunting reduction program owing to the COVID-19 pandemic that started in early 2020.

 

"The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a challenge in reducing the stunting rates. Achievements from the last seven years must be maintained to achieve the 14-percent target by the end of 2024," Vice President Ma'ruf Amin noted at the virtual National Coordination Meeting on stunting prevention on August 23, 2021.

 

The government is determined that despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the stunting reduction program continues and is expedited, and has asked all regional heads to assess all work programs, activities, and local government budgets.