ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the right of citizens to access health information in a language with which they are most comfortable. It asks to what extent this right is enjoyed by the population of multilingual Indonesia. As in many other parts of the world, health protocols have frequently not been adhered to during the COVID-19 pandemic and, as a result, bringing the disease under control has not been easy. We present findings from a study which examines the COVID-related language appearing in local government health department websites. The chapter also looks briefly at a central government programme which provides COVID information in multiple languages. In general, it is found that health information is rarely communicated in languages which are likely to be readily understood. While exhortations to adopt certain behaviours abound, no explanations about why these behaviours are necessary are provided. Finally, two grassroots initiatives to make COVID information more accessible are described. © 2023 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.