Jakarta Ready to Administer Covid-19 Vaccines Next Year

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Jakarta Health Agency stated that it is ready to administer Covid-19 vaccine in 2021. The vaccination process will be conducted in accordance with Presidential Regulation No. 99 of 2020 concerning Vaccine Procurement and Vaccination Implementation in the Event of Covid-19 Pandemic Mitigation (Vaccine Regulation).

"We are ready to conduct vaccination in accordance to the Presidential Regulation and Health Ministry regulation," said the Chief of Disease Prevention and Control Division of the Jakarta Health Agency Dwi Oktavia on Saturday, December 5, 2020.

The Presidential Regulation has regulated the whole aspects of the vaccination process, starting from the location, funding, stages, and the time of the vaccination. "Everything has been regulated," Dwi said.

In relation to the Jakarta Health Agency plan to purchase vaccines, Dwi is yet to provide an explanation. "Still in the assessment stage. There will be an authorized official to explain the information," Dwi added.

Pursuant to Article 20 of the Vaccine Regulation, the provincial, regency, city government can provide funds from their respective budget to support the implementation of Covid-19 vaccination in their regions.

Previously, a member of the Jakarta Regional Representatives Budget Agency Syarif, said that the Jakarta government will provide free vaccines for prioritized groups next year.

"The prioritized groups that will be vaccinated are medical staff and teachers," Syarif said on Friday, December 4, 2020.

The Great Indonesia Movement Party politician explained that the Jakarta government will purchase vaccines using budget allocated for Covid-19 mitigation. The Covid-19 mitigation fund allocated by the Jakarta government reaches up to IDR 5.3 trillion, which will is focused on providing social aid, medical staff incentives, and vaccine purchase.

"The central government did not provide the vaccine for free," Syarif said. Initially, it is said that the central government will provide vaccines for free to the regional government.

Syarif predicted that other regions will receive free vaccines from the central government because they do not have specially allocated funds. "Jakarta did not have specially allocated funds. But has a large budget. That is why I think Jakarta is requested to by vaccine," Syarif stated.

According to Syarif, the vaccines will be purchased starting in March 2021, while the vaccination process will be conducted from May to June 2020. Syarif hoped that the vaccine can soon end the Covid-19 pandemic.

IMAM HAMDI