he United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has donated 500,000 surgical masks to the Indonesian government to help protect medical workers in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The UNDP stands with the people of Indonesia during this critical and perilous moment. These medical masks are part of the UNDP response to COVID-19 in Indonesia,” UNDP Indonesia representative Christophe Bahuet said in a statement on Friday.
The Foreign Ministry’s director for sociocultural affairs and the international organization of developing countries, Kamapradipta Isnomo, said the government welcomed the UNDP’s support toward Indonesia’s medical community.
Read also: Indonesia receives first shipment of ventilators from United Nations organizations
“The UNDP is a vital partner in accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals [SDGs]. The pandemic is a setback to SDGs gains, therefore it’s important to step up our cooperation starting from the immediate response toward recovery,” he said.
The procurement of the medical masks was financially supported by the China Soong Ching Ling Foundation. The masks are worth 1.2 million yuan or Rp 2.6 billion (US$183,000).
The handover of the medical masks on Friday came several days after the arrival of the first shipment of ventilators procured by the UNDP, the World Health Organization and the International Organization for Migration. (aly)
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