Health minister seeks other donor countries amid USAID closure

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Health Ministry plans to seek other donor countries following the United States (US) President Donald Trump's decision to close USAID.

"We had secured an AU$130 million commitment from Australia. Later, I will try to find other donors too," Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated on Thursday.

Based on official communication received by his side, assistance from USAID was being withheld.

He clarified that the amount of assistance provided by USAID to Indonesia reached US$100 million, which was then handed over to a third party.

"This shortfall will have an impact," he added.

USAID has distributed around US$153 million in assistance to Indonesia in 2023 for various projects, including support focused on anti-corruption efforts, climate change mitigation, education, and health.

One of USAID's assistance projects includes US$882 thousand in funding to the World Health Organization (WHO) to support polio vaccination activities in Indonesia.

Since 2023, USAID has allocated over US$3.2 million in funding to support the handling of the polio outbreak in Indonesia and two rounds of national immunization.

Earlier, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) headquarters in Washington was officially closed on February 3 after the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Elon Musk, said that President Trump had agreed to the agency's closure.

On February 2, Musk called USAID a "criminal organization" and said, "It is time for the organization to die."

This was a response to USAID's refusal to grant DOGE personnel access to security systems and personnel files, as well as classified information at USAID headquarters.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed his role as the USAID acting director.

He affirmed that the agency must adhere to the policy direction of the US State Department, clarifying that the current situation does not signify a complete cessation of their programs.

According to USAID's website, all direct USAID employees, except for those performing critical functions, will be placed on administrative leave globally.