Summary
Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin will lobby the World Health Organization (WHO) to end Indonesia’s COVID-19 pandemic status. “We have to lobby WHO. I will come in March, and later, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Airlangga Hartarto, will say that Indonesia is done. Other countries need more help than Indonesia. We will slowly withdraw,” Budi said on Thursday.
Ending the COVID-19 pandemic status is based on Indonesia’s success in curbing the infection. According to him, the government would initially lobby WHO to end Indonesia’s pandemic status on August 17, 2023. However, it was canceled due to warnings from Finance Minister Sri Mulyani. “Mrs. Indrawati warned me the money would be too much. It’s better if it can be withdrawn faster. But as the pandemic stopped, some government obligations will end,” he said.