Ministry of Social Affairs Distributes Medical Devices, Ensures Safety of COVID-19 Handling Officers

BEKASI (April 30th 2020) - Director General of Social Rehabilitation Ministry of Social Affairs, Harry Hikmat continued to ensure safety the officers of COVID-19 handling. It is form of distributing medical devices to State Apparatus (ASN), Non-Civil Servant Government Employees (PPNPN), and Assistants in the Directorate General of Social Rehabilitation.

This medical device assistance was provided to 2,869 ASN and PPNPN in Directorate General of Social Rehabilitation and 3,012 Facilitators in 5 Social Rehabilitation Clusters spread across 34 provinces, 514 districts / cities. In addition, medical equipment assistance was also distributed to 6 red zone areas, namely Central Jakarta, West Jakarta, North Jakarta, East Jakarta, South Jakarta and Bekasi.

The Director General of Social Rehabilitation accompanied by Secretary of Directorate General of Social Rehabilitation and Inspector for Social Rehabilitation symbolically handed over medical devices to Regional Coordinators, namely Directors of Social Rehabilitation at Balai Netra "Tan Miyat" Bekasi. This is a follow-up to the direction of Minister of Social Affairs, Mr. Juliari P. Batubara, for refocusing budget for handling COVID-19, so today we realize it, we distribute it to those in charge of social rehabilitation services," said the Director General of Social Rehabilitation.

The medical devices delivered 7,763 boxes of masks, 17,913 bottles of 500 ml hand sanitizers, 5,971 bottles of 60 ml of hand sanitizers, 17,913 bottles of 250 ml of hand soap, 5,971 boxes of gloves, 41 units of 5 liter capacity disinfectant sprayers, 246 units  5 liter disinfectant and 75 boxes of rapid test kits.

This medical device is very important for employees and assistants, because currently the Ministry of Social Affairs is also preparing Temporary Shelters (TPS) for street children, homeless people and beggars as well as other Beneficiaries (PM) affected by COVID-19. "In the future, there are many challenges faced by Social Rehabilitation employees and assistants. So medical devices are very important to prevent us from spreading COVID-19," said the Director General of Social Rehabilitation.

On the same occasion, Director General of Social Rehabilitation also distributed aid packages from Unicef ​​in the form of sanitation and personal hygiene kits for 1,744 Child Social Welfare Institutions (LKSA) in 8 provinces, namely DKI Jakarta, Banten, West Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta, Bali, Central Sulawesi and West Kalimantan.

Hygiene Kit assistance such as disinfectants, hand soap, laundry detergent and towels was symbolically given to Deputy Chairman of National Forum for Children's Social Institution (PSAA) / LKSA, Muhammad Sidik. "Alhamdulillah, today we also get additional Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) from Unicef, a partner of Ministry Social Affairs," said the Director General of Social Rehabilitation.

The collaboration between Directorate General of Social Rehabilitation through Directorate of Child Social Rehabilitation and Unicef ​​is an effort to protect children who are outside family care, such as in LKSA to avoid the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Some efforts that have been made in preventing and handling impact of COVID-19 include the preparation and distribution of Guidelines for Protecting Children from Threat of COVID-19 in Balai / Loka, LKSA, and Child Care in other institutions;  Guidelines for Social Worker Service Units (Sakti Peksos);  Code of Conduct for Clean and Healthy Living (PHBS) and Guidelines for Prevention of Violence, Neglect and Exploitation of Children.

The distribution of assistance was attended by Directors in Directorate General of Social Rehabilitation, Inspectors for Social Rehabilitation, Heads of Social Rehabilitation Centers in Bekasi area, Heads of Divisions in Directorate General of Social Rehabilitation, Coordinator of Quick Reaction Team (TRC), representatives of Unicef ​​and National Forum for Childcare Social Institutions (PSAA) / LKSA.