Terawan, along with health representatives from Thailand and South Africa, shared their country's respective Intra-Action Reviews (IARs), country-led facilitated processes conducted during the coronavirus pandemic, which brings together stakeholders involved in the in-country public health response.

Indonesia conducted its IAR virtually with the support of the WHO from Aug. 11 to 14, which Terawan said was intended to become "a platform for continual learning".

"From our point of view, the result of the IAR has provided input for Indonesia to improve multisectoral preparedness coordination, in line with the multisectoral preparedness framework published by the WHO on May 22 to strengthen coordination for a better health emergency preparedness," he said during the press briefing.

Among the recommendations resulting from the IAR are improving command and coordination among multisectoral stakeholders at the national and subnational levels, periodic monitoring of response plan indicators -- including surveillance and laboratory coordination, as well as better triage at health facilities to avoid exposure of patients and the health workforce to COVID-19.

It also suggested an improvement in the enforcement of large-scale social restrictions implementation and monitoring, as well as in empowering and engaging the community through COVID-19 key messaging.

Telemedicine to prevent virus exposure should also be enhanced, the IAR suggested, while also maintaining essential health services such as immunization, tuberculosis, HIV and non-communicable diseases programs.

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