Responding to the resignation of the volunteers of the Covid-19 working group, Doni Monardo: I did not return home for 8 months

KLATEN, KOMPAS.com – The head of the National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB) Doni Monardo admitted that for the past eight months, from March to October 2020, he never returned home.

Since the corona virus broke out in Indonesia, Doni has been appointed by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) as chair of the National Covid-19 Task Force.

“I personally have not come home for the last eight months. The first three months that I actually stayed in the office I did not come home at all. After that, I only came home on Saturdays and Sundays,” Doni said in response to the resignation of the Volunteers from the Covid-19 Working Group in Klaten. Central Java, Thursday (11/19/2020).

Also read: Disappointed with the donation of 20,000 masks to Rizieq, several volunteers from the Covid-19 Working Group withdraw

As a Covid-19 task force, Doni continued, sacrifice and patience are required to deal with the corona virus pandemic in Indonesia.

“If there is a problem that occurs, it should not be done emotionally,” he said.

In dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, Doni stressed that the cooperation of all parties is needed.

“So the volunteers who have worked hard get a thank you. If there are those who feel they are not happy to continue, we cannot ban it,” Doni said.

“Because all these volunteers work from conscience. We work from human values ​​and we work from the principles of disaster management, that is, non-discrimination,” he continued.

Also read: PMI alerts 500 volunteers in 9 evacuation posts on Mount Merapi

Previously, the chairman of the Covid-19 Management Working Group Volunteer Coordination Division, Andre Rahadian, understood the feelings of several volunteers who were disappointed and resigned by the crowd at an event held by the leader of the Defenders Front. Islamic (FPI) Rizieq Shihab last week. disinfectant.

“We accept this as a form of aspiration for some volunteers. We adapt to these aspirations,” Andre said in a written statement on Thursday (11/19/2020).

This was relayed by Andre in response to the action of several volunteers who declared their resignation Thursday afternoon.

“But we believe in the hearts of volunteers, they are still volunteers. Also, so far it has been shown that the work of volunteers has been able to help residents going through difficult times during the coronavirus outbreak,” Andre said.

Andre emphasized that to date there are 34,000 Covid-19 Working Group Volunteers in Indonesia.

According to Andre, so far volunteering with all members of the community is an important part of changing Covid-19 prevention behavior.

He called on all volunteers and community components to work together to remember each other and increase discipline in the implementation of health protocols.