Home Minister Tells Regional Heads to Make Breakthrough to Boost Vaccination
The Government through Ministry of Home Affairs has urged regional heads all over Indonesia to make breakthrough and conduct creative campaign to speed up COVID-19 vaccination drive.
“All of you can learn from the experience of other regions that have successfully carried out vaccination, namely DKI Jakarta province that has reached 100 percent, Bali province that has almost reached 100 percent, and also the Special Region of Yogyakarta province,” Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian said Thursday (12/23).
On that occasion, Tito dismissed the assumption that low vaccination rate is due to the geographic condition of Indonesia which consists of many islands. Riau Islands province that has many islands including Batam island, Bintan island, and Sekatung island has high vaccination rate, he added.
In Bali province, Tito added, subvillage-based (kampung) vaccination is carried out properly. In every subvillage, they provide vaccination center so that vaccinators can do their duty to disburse vaccine to local people.
Meanwhile, the vaccination carried out in capital Jakarta, Tito further said, is community unit-based (RW) vaccination. Once the vaccine stock is distributed to community units, it will immediately be distributed to targeted recipients. Thus, the vaccination progress in Jakarta is faster than that in Bali.
According to Tito, another measure that can be done in regions is vaccination that is carried out at sport hall (GOR) so that vaccine recipients can be invited to get vaccinated at the location.
“It has advantages as it is easier, centralized, and the vaccinators will standby there. Perhaps, door prizes can be provided,” he added.
However, Tito said that centralized vaccination in sport hall also has disadvantages, namely people mobilization and potential crowds that may cause COVID-19 spread. It also will be an issue for the elderly to get there, he added.
Furthermore, Tito added that mobile approach also can be one of the measures. To disburse vaccine, the vaccinators can use lab truck or ship for archipelagic areas. In addition, door-to-door vaccination can be prioritized for the elderly. (PR of Ministry of Home Affairs/UN) (AP/MUR)