Health Minister: COVID-19 Vaccines to be Distributed to 34 Provinces

The Government has announced it will immediately distribute the COVID-19 vaccine to 34 provinces in Indonesia to start the free vaccination program for the public.

“With the prayers of all Indonesian people, the Government hopes to distribute the vaccine to 34 provinces in Indonesia so that we can start the vaccination program for the health workers,” Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin said in a press statement on Thursday (31/12).

According to Budi, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has assigned him to continue working even during the New Year holidays to ensure that the national vaccination program can be carried out as well as possible for the public.

In an effort to procure vaccines, he added, state-owned pharmacy company Bio Farma has signed a vaccine order agreement from AstraZeneca, a vaccine manufacturer from England, and from Novavax, a vaccine manufacturer from America, with 50 million doses each.

The vaccination program, Budi added, is one of the main strategies to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic and it will take more than 12 months to complete this program.

For that, he said the Government asked for the support and participation of all Indonesian people.

“Hopefully all Indonesian people will support what the Government is doing because there is no way the Government can do this alone. I believe that together we can,” said Budi.

In line with the vaccination program, Budi reminded the public to remain disciplined in following the health protocols because the pandemic is still there.

“While the vaccination program is running, we still have to follow the health protocols: washing hands, wearing masks, and keeping a distance,” he said. (FID/UN) (EST/EP)