TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - State-owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir on Sunday revealed that he is positive Indonesia will be able to survive the COVID-19 pandemic as long as the country’s efforts are focused on solving health issues.

“The committee’s program since the beginning is to reach a ‘healthy Indonesia’ and we never talked about ‘working Indonesia’ or others. Because we can forget about the economy if the issue of health is not solved,” said Erick Thohir to interviewer Andy F Noya in Sunday’s talk show ‘Kick Andy.’

Erick currently also leads Indonesia’s committee of the handling of COVID-19 and national economic recovery.

One of the solutions, he said, is by producing the necessary drugs to battle the pandemic such as “favipiravir, evigan, which were imported are now produced domestically. We will also attempt to do the same for other drugs and avert from always importing.”

The government’s commitment toward public health is also seen through the aggressive search for the availability of vaccines from either domestic production or bilateral partnerships with other governments. He considers the number of Indonesia’s COVID-19 cases are far better compared to other countries despite acknowledging the ever-growing cases in Indonesia.

“Is it perfect, no. Perfection only belongs to God. But the government is present and works 24 hours to assure that people are protected through this vaccine,” said Erick Thohir.

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