TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that Indonesia is receiving 52 international aids, mostly in the form of medical equipment, to handle the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.

The Ministry's Director General of Information and Publication, Cecep Herawan, explained that the assistance comes from international organizations, international private entities, and governments of other countries, such as Japan, the United States, China, Singapore, Vietnam, South Korea, Australia and the United Arab Emirates.

"There are eight (international aids) from governments, six from international organizations or entities, and 38 from non-governmental or private supports," Cecep said in a virtual meeting with the House of Representatives (Commission I), on Tuesday, April 7, 2020.

More specifically, Indonesia is receiving aid from international organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the Asian Development Bank (IDB), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the Global Fund.

"There is also (asistance) from the private sector and NGOs from six countries; China, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam, France and Russia," Cecep added.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi added that a number of countries, such as South Korea and Turkey, have offered to assist in the procurement of rapid test equipment. However, Retno explained that it will be decided by the COVID-19 Task Force.

"We do not have the capacity to decide if this (rapid test equipment) is suitable or not. Therefore, we coordinate with the Task Force," she said.

BUDIARTI UTAMI PUTRI | DIO SUHENDA (Intern Translator)