TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Development Planning Minister or Bappenas Head Suharso Monoarfa opined that the Covid-19 pandemic posed a new challenge with the rising amount of non-medical and medical wastes.

“Such as used face masks, personal protective equipment, and other medical devices,” said Suharso in a virtual seminar held by the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) on Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020.

He asserted that the problem needs to be addressed together. The government, he added, keeps striving to ensure that the special waste management units, especially waste from hospitals treating Covid-19 patients, are operating properly.

"So that it will not present negative impacts on the environment," Suharso added. The government had also declared its high commitment to reach the sustainable development goals or SDGs, he informed.

The minister further argued that the Covid-19 pandemic made Indonesia realize that its health system is still vulnerable. Thus, the government will continue to increase the health capacity, including adding more referral hospitals across the archipelago.

Additionally, the government would meet the need or ensure sufficient capacity of laboratories, such as the reagents, test kits, and facilities in an effort to detect people with a high risk of Covid-19 transmission.

Read: Indonesian Police Investigate Covid-19 Medical Waste Dumped on Roadside

HENDARTO HANGGI