TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The state-run vaccine manufacturer Bio Farma marketing director, Sri Harsi Teteki, said all MR vaccines or Measles Rubella used for the national immunization program had been widely used in 140 countries, including Muslim countries. The vaccine produced in India and that had gone through safety clinical studies in many countries.

A total of 57,843,570 doses of MR vaccine was prepared for the immunization program. Bio Farma chose MR vaccine produced in India, instead of China. “[because India has met all requirements.”

Sri said Bio Farma was currently facilitating the India-based vaccine factory to obtain the halal certificate. “Based on the regulation, halal certification must be done in the manufactory or the vaccine producer, which is in India,” she added

In November 2017, Bio Farma team had visited the factory and deliver the standard of halal certification set by the Indonesian government.

“We continuously consult and coordinate it, and help the manufacturer, as well as connect it with the Edict Commission of Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) related to the certification process,” she said.

Read also: Ministry Faces Difficulty Campaigning MR Vaccine Outside Java

Bio Farma was preparing to independently produce its own MR vaccine. Bio Farma Corporate Secretary, Bambang Heryanto, said the manufactory had previously produced Measles vaccine.

“We are currently on the stage to combine Measles and Rubella vaccine (MR) using bulk Rubella in tandem with our partners,” he said in a written statement.

The Health Ministry's disease prevention and control director general, Anung Sugihantono, announced the immunization of MR vaccine is held simultaneously starting August 1 to September 2018, targetting 31,963,154 million people across 28 provinces outside Java island.

“In 2017, [the immunization] has been established in six Java provinces,” Anung said in a written statement, Tuesday, July 31.

AHMAD FIKRI