Health Ministry Ensures Safety and Availability of Vacciness Provided by the Government
The Indonesian Ministry of Health is absolutely against and condemns the production and distribution of fake vaccines that pose danger to health, Ministry of Health Nila Farid Moeloek said in a press conference in Jakarta on Saturday (25/6).
Nila also said that her Ministry implements vaccination program at a national level and the availability and safety of the vaccines are guaranteed.
Those vaccines are provided by the Government, given to provincial governments and distributed to regencies and cities, including to Posyandu (integrated health service posts), she said.
Vaccines provided by the Government can be used by all health service facilities, both those run by the Government and those run by the private sectors, the Minister said.
The Minister further said that in giving vaccination, all health service facilities are urged to exercise tight control over the procurement of vaccines from official producers and major pharmaceutical retailers, to carry out good management of vaccines, starting from procurement, recording, storing, and use in accordance with the standard and prevailing procedures so the production and distribution of vaccines can be traced and to report it to the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) on its call center at Halo BPOM 1500-533 should alleged fake vaccines are found.
We call on the people not to be afraid to get your children vaccinated in health service facilities to give them immunity against diseases, the Minister added.
In addition, following the finding of fake vaccine cases in Jakarta, Banten, and West Java, the Ministry gives its support for law enforcement to those allegedly involved in the production and distribution of fake vaccines.
If those health service facilities are proven to be involved, they will be given sanctions in accordance with the prevailing laws and regulations, the Minister concluded.
As previously reported, the National Polices Criminal Investigation Department have arrested 13 suspects, who reportedly include eight fake vaccine plant owners, two distributors, two couriers and one label maker of counterfeit vaccines during raids in Bekasi, South Tangerang, Jakarta, Bogor, and Subang that took place between 16 June and 23 June. (Biro Komunikasi Kemenkes dan Tim Komunikasi Pemerintah Kemkominfo/EN) (EP/YM/Naster)
