TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Indonesia's health programs unswayed by US exit from WHO
Health programs in Indonesia are unlikely to be significantly impacted after the US' withdrawal from the WHO, as Indonesia is not financially dependent on the organization and the planned programs are expected to continue, the government assured.
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Addressing national wellness: Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin addresses the audience in a panel discussion at the Business 20 (B20) Summit in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Nov.13. (B20 Secretariat/-)
H
ealth programs in Indonesia are unlikely to be significantly impacted after the United States’ withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), as Indonesia is not financially dependent on the organization, and the planned programs are expected to continue, the government assured.
US President Donald Trump announced the move on the first day of his second term in office on Jan. 20, citing the WHO’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic and other international health crises, as stated in the White House executive order.
The US also criticized the disproportionate financial contributions, noting that its payments were 90 percent higher than China’s, although China's population is three times the size of the US. The country is by far the WHO’s financial backer, contributing around 18 percent of its overall funding.
Although the withdrawal is set to take effect next year following a one-year notice period, Trump has suspended future transfer to the WHO, prompting the agency to implement budget restrictions by, among other measures, significantly reducing travel expenditures and halting recruitment, except for critical areas.
In response to the US’ decision, Health minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin affirmed that Indonesia would not be significantly affected by it. “We don’t receive much [funding] from the WHO,” he said on Jan. 22 as quoted by Antara.
The ministry’s spokesperson Aji Muhawarman separately confirmed to The Jakarta Post on Wednesday that the impact of health development is still under evaluation. However, he reassured that the "WHO's commitment to supporting Indonesia's health sector remains."
Read also: Trump orders US exit from the World Health Organization
