Covid-19: Indonesia launches app for pandemic surveillance

By Denilson Triadiapta

People queueing in a supermarket cashier with mask and maintained a safe distance

(Image Source: The Jakarta Post)

Indonesia’s efforts to tackle the pandemic have entered a new chapter whereby the government has begun vaccination programs for its citizens.

The government has also released a new policy regarding pandemic surveillance, which comes in the form of a mobile phone application called PeduliLindungi.

Similar to the app launched last year in Malaysia, MySejahtera, this app also facilitates contact tracing.

In fact, Indonesia used the MySejahtera app from Malaysia as the inspirational guideline to develop and launch the PeduliLindungi this year.

The application was launched by the Indonesian Ministry of Communication and Information Technology in March for surveillance of COVID-19 , as well as for tracking, tracing, and vaccine certification.

“It is expected that people will be able to use the app in 500 public facilities by the end of August,” said Indonesian Communication and Information Technology Minister Johnny G. Plate in August to The Jakarta Post.

It is common knowledge that the PeduliLindungi app also allows users to download their vaccine certificate, as well as other information regarding COViD-19.

People who are screened and labeled with green or yellow barcodes will be allowed to enter shopping malls, and people who are screened and labeled with red barcodes are not allowed.

Those who are of low-risk status will be displayed a green/yellow barcode on their PeduliLindungi application, whilst high-risk users are displayed with a red barcode.

Recently the application has been subject to a lot of criticism from various parties, regarding the security of the users' data.

However, the Indonesian Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin still encourages people to participate by downloading the app.

He ensures that all the users’ data are safe, he also said that his ministry is working together with other government agencies for data protection.

There has been an increase in the usage of the application, in conjunction with the increasing vaccination rates over the last three months.

This makes the Indonesian government optimistic for economic recovery, as they enact a new recovery plan along with stricter COVID-19 policies.

“We believe in the tracking and tracing program through this surveillance application,” said the Commissioner of the Indonesian Financial Authority Wimboh Santoso.

It could help all of us to achieve our main goal, which is to bring the economy back.”

Wimboh is one of the top financial institution officials, who appears very optimistic with the progress, and he assures that everything will get even better next year.

“A good tracking and tracing program can convince people to return to their daily activities, in accordance with existing health protocols,” he said.