On Friday, the Australian government handed over 100 ventilators as part of its A$2 million (Rp 19.4 billion) critical medical and laboratory equipment package for Indonesia.

Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Gary Quinlan said his country would continue to work with Indonesia to minimize the impact of COVID-19.

“The 100 noninvasive ventilators, associated medical supplies and laboratory equipment delivered to [the Indonesian] national task force, will help front-line medical staff provide life-saving assistance and support laboratory staff with essential supplies,” Quinlan said in a statement on Friday.

National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) chairman Doni Monardo, also the head of the National COVID-19 task force, appreciated the assistance provided by the Australian government.

"On behalf of the Indonesian government, we are very appreciative and grateful for the assistance from the Australian government in accelerating the handling of COVID-19 in Indonesia," said Doni.

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Previously, the IOM also delivered essential medical equipment and supplies worth of Rp 14 billion to hospitals in Indonesia. The organization handed the first batch of the equipment over to the South Tangerang Disaster Mitigation Agency on July 8 for distribution to hospitals and health facilities.

The donation was aimed at assisting vulnerable groups impacted by the pandemic, such as migrant workers, refugees and people displaced by natural disasters.

The IOM said it would make additional deliveries to nine more cities this month, including Jakarta, East Java’s Surabaya and South Sulawesi’s Makassar. The three cities were among regions recording the highest COVID-19 case numbers across the country.

In a statement, the IOM stated that the donation was made possible with financial support from the Australian Department of Home Affairs.

“[The IOM] continues to work closely with [the national COVID-19 task force] and its international partners to join forces in the fight against COVID-19,” IOM Indonesian Mission chief Louis Hoffman said in the statement.

IOM Indonesian Mission deputy chief Dejan Micevski said the donation was part of the organization's ongoing support for Indonesia's fight against COVID-19, so the latter could “meet the multifaceted health, social and mobility consequences of the coronavirus disease.”