JAKARTA, Indonesia -- The U.S. Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has donated 100 brand-new, state-of-the-art ventilators to Indonesia to assist its fight against COVID-19. The donation delivers on President Trump’s generous offer of these critically needed supplies and supports Indonesia’s urgent response to the pandemic.
“Even as the U.S. is battling COVID-19 back home, we remain committed to cooperating with Indonesia, including on the provision of ventilators and testing equipment. We enjoy great cooperation with the Indonesian government in the health sector– including on disease prevention, diagnostics, and capacity building– through USAID, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. businesses, and other partners,” said U.S. Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. Heather Variava.
Indonesia needs more ventilators for its COVID-19 response. The donated ventilators reflect cutting-edge and in-demand technology. They are compact and deployable and can support both invasive and non-invasive applications, which gives Indonesia flexibility in treating patients affected by the virus. The U.S. Government assistance provided includes accompanying equipment, warranties, and shipping. Along with the ventilators, the United States, through USAID, will fund training for health workers using the equipment along with standard operating procedures and maintenance so that hospitals can help more patients recover. Beyond this donation, U.S. emergency assistance to support Indonesia’s fight against COVID-19 totals approximately $11 million.
Chargé d’Affaires, a.i. Variava symbolically handed over the ventilators to Indonesia’s Ministry of Health Secretary General Oscar Primadi at a ceremony on Tuesday in Jakarta. Witnessing the handover, Indonesia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi said: “A collective response is key to overcome a global challenge of this magnitude. Going forward, Indonesia and the U.S. will continue to strengthen our Strategic Partnership, not only to mitigate COVID-19, but also to prevent future pandemics and to provide support for regional and global health governance.”
The United States is the largest contributor to global health, and continues to help friends and allies through an “All-of-America” effort that includes government, business, NGOs, and faith-based aid. Over the past 20 years, USAID has invested over $1 billion into Indonesia’s health sector, building a strong foundation for a more effective COVID-19 response. The ventilators are just one aspect of the U.S. Embassy’s emergency assistance to Indonesia in the fight against COVID-19.