The advocacy coalition of sugar-sweetened beverage taxes in Indonesia.

The Ministry of Finance of Indonesia has put sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) taxation on its agenda since 2020 to address the need for health financing, as outlined in the National Medium-Term Development Plan for 2020-2024. However, the adoption process of this fiscal policy has been slow. This study aims to generate insights into the actors involved in the discourse of SSB tax adoption in Indonesia to inform their advocacy and communication efforts using the Advocacy Coalition Framework and Discourse Network Analysis. The analysis was conducted using data extracted from 1733 statements collected from 200 online web domains and subdomains, divided into three timeframes of the policy process. The analysis identified actors supporting and opposing the adoption of SSB tax. The discourse network also identified key advocacy coalitions and organisations in the discussion on SSB tax adoption in Indonesia. The results indicate that there are diverse network patterns in each timeframe and reveal the process and focus of the policy change. The Ministry of Finance had the most significant influence on the discourse, with actors from civil society organisations and universities involved in the process of policy change through evidence-based policy recommendations. Meanwhile, economic actors contributed to the debate on the potential harm of tax adoption to the industry. These findings can inform the policy process and ensure the successful adoption of the SSB tax in Indonesia.

Seroprevalence of antibodies against SARS-Cov-2 in the high impacted sub-district in Jakarta, Indonesia.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the actual prevalence of COVID-19 transmission in the community is vital for strategic responses to the pandemic. This study aims to estimate the actual infection of COVID-19 through a seroprevalence survey and to predict infection fatality rate (IFR) in Tanjung Priok, the hardest-hit sub-district by the COVID-19 in Jakarta, Indonesia. METHODS: We conducted a venous blood sampling (phlebotomy) to 3,196 individuals in Tanjung Priok between Nov 23, 2020, and Feb 19, 2021 to detect their antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Using an enumerator-administered questionnaire, we collected data on the respondents' demographic characteristics, COVID-19 test history, COVID-19 symptoms in the last 14 days, comorbidities, and protective behaviours during the last month. We employed descriptive analysis to estimate the seroprevalence and IFR. FINDINGS: The prevalence of Antibody against SARS-CoV-2 was 28.52% (95% CI 25.44-31.81%), with the result being higher in females than males (OR 1.20; 95% CI 1.02-1.42). By the end of the data collection (February 9, 2021), the cumulative cases of COVID-19 in Tanjung Priok were reported to be experienced by 9,861 people (2.4%). Those aged 45-65 were more likely to be seropositive than 15-19 years old (OR 1.42; 95% CI 1.05-1.92). Nearly one third (31%) of the subjects who developed at least one COVID-19 symptom in the last 14 days of the data collection were seropositive. The estimated IFR was 0.08% (95% CI 0.07-0.09), with a higher figure recorded in males (0.09; 95% CI 0.08-0.10) than females (0.07; 95% CI 0.06-0.08), and oldest age group (45-65) (0.21; 95% CI 0.18-0.23) than other younger groups. CONCLUSION: An under-reporting issue was found between the estimated COVID-19 seroprevalence and the reported cumulative cases in Tanjung Priok. More efforts are required to amplify epidemiological surveillance by the provincial and local governments.

Rebuilding to shape a better future: the role of young professionals in the public health workforce.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made clear the extreme needs of the public health workforce. As societies discuss how to build up the capacity and infrastructure of their systems, it is crucial that young professionals are involved. Previous attempts to incorporate young professionals into the public health workforce have wrestled with inaccessibility, tokenisation, and a lack of mentorship, leading to a loss of potential workforce members and a non-representative workforce that reinforces systemic societal exclusion of diverse young people. These barriers must be addressed through robust mentorship structures, intentional recruitment and continuous support, as well as genuine recognition of the contributions of young professionals to build the sustainable, interdisciplinary, unified public health that is necessary for the future.

Harnessing the digital potential of the next generation of health professionals.

Digital technologies are rapidly being integrated into a wide range of health fields. This new domain, often termed 'digital health', has the potential to significantly improve healthcare outcomes and global health equity more broadly. However, its effective implementation and responsible use are contingent on building a health workforce with a sufficient level of knowledge and skills to effectively navigate the digital transformations in health. More specifically, the next generation of health professionals-namely youth-must be adequately prepared to maximise the potential of these digital transformations. In this commentary, we highlight three priority areas which should be prioritised in digital education to realise the benefits of digital health: capacity building, opportunities for youth, and an ethics-driven approach. Firstly, capacity building requires educational frameworks and curricula to not only be updated, but to also place an emphasis on interdisciplinary learning. Secondly, opportunities are important for youth to meaningfully participate in decision-making processes and gain invaluable practical experiences. Thirdly, training in digital ethics and the responsible use of data as a standard component of education will help to safeguard against potential future inequities resulting from the implementation and use of digital health technologies.