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JAKARTA – The first batch of Covid-19 vaccines arrived in Indonesia.
The world’s largest archipelagic state is drafting the rules governing its distribution across the country, a task that will be completed in two weeks.
At approximately 9 p.m. local time on Sunday night (December 6), 1.2 million doses of the vaccine developed by China’s Sinovac Biotech arrived at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta Airport. From there, they were taken to Bandung in the province of West Java to be stored at the facilities of the state pharmaceutical Bio Farma.
Another 1.8 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine will arrive in January.
“The arrival and availability of vaccines will be gradual and so will the vaccination program, which will be carried out gradually, giving priority to medical workers and public service officials,” said Mr. Airlangga Hartarto, minister in charge of the Covid-19, during a virtual press conference on Monday (December 7) with several other ministers in charge of purchasing vaccines.
The government will take a dual approach to the vaccination program: some will receive the vaccines for free and others will cover the cost of the vaccine, added Airlangga, who is also the coordinating minister for economic affairs.
Those who pay will be subject to the so-called “Mandiri” scheme. They can choose the brand of the vaccine from those available. This scheme will be implemented in order of arrival.
It is not clear when the vaccination program will begin. But officials have said that January is the earliest period Indonesia can implement it.
On Sunday night, President Joko Widodo said BPOM, the independent food and drug agency, will have to give emergency approval for the vaccination program to start. He added that before implementation, the distribution system in the 34 provinces of the country must be finalized, including more than 500 regencies and cities.
“Once we decide on a date for our vaccination program to start, everything will have to be ready,” Joko said, adding that support teams, human resources and a distribution system must first be put in place.
Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said during the same briefing that her office has allocated funds for the health ministry, as well as regional governments (including cities and regencies), to operate the vaccination program.
Some 10,134 Puskesmas (community health centers) and 2,877 Indonesian hospitals will participate in the program.
The government has purchased hundreds of vaccine coolers and other support equipment, including cup holders, cold boxes and syringes, Sri Mulyani added.
Indonesia has so far secured commitments to ship 189 million doses of Sinovac from China, Maryland-based Novavax, and Covax, an international Covid-19 vaccine delivery platform co-led by the World Health Organization.
The plan is to vaccinate 107.2 million people – between the ages of 18 and 59 – of Indonesia’s 270 million. Those with pre-existing medical conditions or considered unfit will not be included in the program.
The country has also set aside a 15 percent reserve for its vaccine reserve. At two doses per person, he would need 247 million doses in his reserve for next year.
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