Jakarta. Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin was summoned by President-elect Prabowo Subianto to his residence on Kartanegara IV Street in South Jakarta on Monday. It is highly likely that Budi will return to his role as Health Minister in the upcoming administration.

During their private meeting, Budi revealed that Prabowo requested an increase in the number of specialist doctors and vaccines for tuberculosis and malaria.

"The number of doctors must be sufficient, and we need more specialist doctors. We need to enhance the education of doctors and specialists. If there is still a shortage, Prabowo wants to train them domestically or abroad to expedite the process," he explained.

Budi said he was asked to meet with Prabowo around 7:00 p.m. Prabowo also emphasized the importance of enhancing health screenings to ensure public health is maintained.

"He also mentioned that there are diseases that should be manageable in Indonesia, such as TB and malaria. These should be eliminated quickly, and we should seek vaccines to help our people eradicate these diseases," he said.

Budi, who previously served as the CEO of Bank Mandiri, was appointed as Health Minister by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo during the Covid-19 pandemic. Although he lacks a medical background, many believe he successfully navigated Indonesia through the crisis.

As of Monday evening, Prabowo had conducted one-on-one interviews with 49 candidates for ministerial positions. The interviews, which began in the afternoon and continued into the evening, featured candidates from various backgrounds, including politicians, academics, and entrepreneurs.

Notable figures in the running include party leaders such as Zulkifli Hasan of the National Mandate Party (PAN), Bahlil Lahadalia of Golkar, Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono of the Democratic Party, Yusril Ihza Mahendra of the Crescent Star Party, and Muhaimin Iskandar of the National Awakening Party (PKB), who was a former running mate of Anies Baswedan in the 2014 election.

Other significant candidates include Finance Minister Sri Mulyani, Investment Minister Rosan P. Roeslani, human rights activist Natalius Pigai, and Veronica Tan, the ex-wife of former Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama.

President-elect Prabowo Subianto has invited Sri Mulyani to join his upcoming administration, making her the first finance minister in Indonesia to serve under three different presidents.

"He asked me to serve as finance minister again," the former World Bank managing director told reporters after she met with Prabowo.

Prabowo is expected to unveil his cabinet shortly after his inauguration as Indonesia's eighth president on October 20. Reports suggest that the cabinet will consist of 46 ministries, including 41 sectoral ministries and five coordinating ministries.

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