UNS — The spiking number of Covid-19 infections in Indonesia has reached a new record with more than 40,000 positive cases a day. This condition brings Indonesia to top the Covid-19 infection rate worldwide, leaving Brazil and India behind, with their 19.3 million cases and 31 cases recorded since the pandemic started. Considering his country’s grave situation, the Chief of The Council of Rector of Indonesian State University (CRISU) and the Rector of Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta, Prof. Jamal Wiwoho, encouraged the government to apply community-based mitigation for the pandemic.
This suggestion was delivered by Prof. Jamal in National Dialogue Series on “Collaboration to Strengthen Community Capacity in Facing Covid-19 Pandemic: From Social Aids to Healthcare Workers” held through the Zoom Cloud Meeting on Friday (16/7/2021). The Rector stated that the pandemic that has struck Indonesia since 2 March 2020 has led to the budget strain due to the failure of various economic sectors. The state is demanded to provide social protection for its citizens.
“The Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani, stated that the state has performed refocusing budget to handle the Covid-19 pandemic, which has reached more than IDR 150 trillion. This is not including the deficit tolerance and the weakened national economy,” Prof. Jamal stated.
The Chief of CRISU stated that the budget strain demands the government to accept participation from all stakeholders in preventing and handling the pandemic. Prof. Jamal considers that the community-based management combined with state role will effectively improve community resilience in facing the current pandemic.
Two Large Power of Indonesia
In the discussion, Prof. Jamal also explained the two potentials or large powers in Indonesia to manage the current pandemic: the cultural values and community institutions. According to the CAF World Giving Index 2021, Professor Jamal said that Indonesia is granted the title of the world’s most charitable country. This title is reflected through the collective cooperation (gotong royong) in the community to help each other amid the pandemic.
“When the government is thinking about the policy for social aids and handling the pandemic, the community has moved faster to provide assistance,” Prof. Jamal stated.
The second strength, Prof. Jamal explained about the community institutions among the community. In his explanation, Prof. Jamal appreciated the “jogo tonggo” (take care of neighbor) program promoted by the Governor of Central Java Province, Ganjar Pranowo, and Desa Siaga (village readiness) program announced by the Governor of West Java, Ridwan Kamil. Prof. Jamal stated that these programs could strengthen the solidarity among the community to cross the existing obstacles and bring new hope for the pandemic.
“And to emphasized that collectivity and gotong royong still live in our community and humane touches through the solidarity that highly needed by the patients,” he added.
Therefore, Prof. Jamal considers that the stated should be present to combine the solidarity actions from the community and build a strong weapon in fighting the pandemic. Solidarity for patients will show that they are not alone and are loved. “This will increase their will to life and optimism to increase the immune system in fighting the viral infection,” Prof. Jamal concluded. Humas UNS
Reporter: Yefta Christopherus AS
Editor: Dwi Hastuti