COVID-19 Active Response and Expenditure Support Program

The crisis amplified the adverse, preexisting, and self-reinforcing relationship between public health and economic outcomes. This relationship should remain at the forefront of ADB’s engagement with Indonesia. COVID-19 takes a higher toll on individuals who suffer from stunting—a disease that is prevalent in Indonesia and closely associated with poverty. The particularly adverse effects of COVID-19 on individuals suffering from stunting was not known at the initiation of the program and clearly lends added importance to a resolution of Indonesia’ problems with public health and human capital development.