Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy IV of the Presidential Staff Office (KSP) Juri Ardiantoro expressed deep condolences for the passing of the former spokesperson for COVID-19 handling, Achmad Yurianto.
Ardiantoro said that Yurianto was a brave and intelligent person that encouraged openness regarding to public information on the development of COVID-19 in early 2020.
"Two years ago, not many people cared about health protocols. He was never getting tired to remind people to wear masks and implement health protocols. The new normal that we are living in today is a form of Mister Yurianto's great service," Ardiantoro noted on Sunday.
Sharing the same opinion, KSP's Main Expert Staff Abaraham Wirotomo said Yurianto dedicated himself in facing the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We have lost a warrior who dedicated all his thoughts, time, and energy to guiding our people in facing the COVID-19 pandemic," Wirotomo said.
Wirotomo recalled his first meeting with Yurianto. According to him, the former Director-General of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control (P2P) of the Ministry of Health was a firm figure.
"At the beginning of the pandemic, I often discussed for hours with him. He was such a firm and calm figure in making decisions. He was practically a figure who was like a beacon in the midst of a storm," Wirotomo recalled.
Yurianto's ability to explain the COVID-19 situation accurately and calmly at the beginning of the pandemic was one of the real contributions for Indonesia in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, Wirotomo added.
Former Government's Spokesperson for COVID-19 Handling Achmad Yurianto passed away at dr. Syaiful Anwar Hospital in Malang City on Saturday, May 21, 2022 after being trated at the hospital for three days.
Previously, Yurianto, who was also the chairman of the State-owned Healthcare and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) Board, were treated at the Gatot Soebroto Army Hospital, Central Jakarta for several weeks due to stroke. He suffered from stroke after undergoing chemotherapy for his colon cancer.
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