President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has awarded posthumous honors to 22 medical workers who lost their lives in the fight against COVID-19, among the dozens of awardees recognized for their distinguished service to the country ahead of Independence Day.

Jokowi presented the awards to family members of the deceased doctors and nurses, in a ceremony held in the State Palace in Central Jakarta on Thursday.

"These awards are given to those that have performed distinguished service for the nation. The selection of awardees has been carried out through careful consideration," Jokowi said after the ceremony.

Nine medical workers were honored with the Bintang Jasa Pratama, the second rank of the Bintang Jasa honor, namely physicians Djoko Judodjoko, Bambang Sutrisna, Exsenveny Lalopua, Bartholomeus Bayu Satrio Kukuh Wibowo, Heru Sutantyo and Wahyu Hidayat, and nurses Setia Aribowo, Mursyida and Elok Widyaningsih.

The President also awarded the Bintang Jasa Nararya, the third class of the Bintang Jasa, to 13 medical workers, namely physicians Hadio Ali Khazatsin and Adi Mirsa Putra; dentists Umi Susana Widjaja, Gunawan Oentaryo, Anna Herlina Ratnasari, Amutavia Pancarsari Artsianti Putri and Yuniarto Budi Santosa; and nurses Ninuk Dwi Pusponingsih, Sugiarto, Mulatsih Widji Astuti, Adharul Anam, Nuria Kurniasih and Nur Putri Julianty.

Presidential spokesperson Fadjroel Rachman said the medals were also awarded as symbols of the state’s respect and bereavement.

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