Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's coal miner PT Adaro Energy Tbk has disbursed financial aid of Rp20 billion to assist the government in the fight to contain COVID-19 in the country.
"Adaro has provided funding aid of Rp20 billion for the Task Force to handle the COVID-19 crisis," Head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Doni Monardo, concurrently head of the task force, stated here on Monday.
Monardo reported that of the total funding, Rp5 billion will be directed for the provision of ambulances and Rp15 billion for the allocation of logistics, medicines, and vitamins for medical workers on the frontlines of the fight against coronavirus.
Adaro's President Director Garibaldi Thohir stated that the funding might not suffice, but other private companies are expected to join the fight and help the government.
"I believe this will not be adequate, but Insha Allah (God willing), I hope our friends in the private sector would help the government," he remarked, adding that the government would need help and support from various parties.
He believes that it is time for private sectors to help the government to contain the virus. "It is time for us to act," he emphasized.
As of Sunday (March 22), the number of COVID-19 patients in Indonesia has increased to 514, of which 48 died, while 29 recovered, and 437 others are still receiving medical treatment.
In Jakarta, the number of positive cases has reached 307; 59 in West Java; 47 in Banten; 41 in East Java; 15 in Central Java; nine in East Kalimantan; five in Yogyakarta; four in Riau Islands; three each in Bali and Southeast Sulawesi; two each in North Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, South Sulawesi, and Papua; and one each in Riau, Lampung, South Kalimantan, North Sulawesi, and Maluku.
Achmad Yurianto, the government's spokesman for COVID-19 handling, stated that the first batch of 150 thousand rapid testing kits imported from China had arrived in Indonesia and will be distributed across the country. The government is procuring at least one million Covid-19 testing kits.
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Reporter: Muhammad Zulfikar, Sri Haryati
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
