Erick Thohir Says 2 Conditions If Private Covid-19 Vaccination Opened

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - State-Owned Enterprises (SOE) Minister Erick Thohir assessed that the private scheme of Covid-19 vaccination is necessary albeit it is not a government’s priority.

“Free vaccinations are the priority, but it does not close the possibility that the private vaccination is needed,” said Erick during a meeting with the House of Representatives' (DPR) Commission VI in Jakarta, Wednesday, Jan. 20.

Erick claimed he had held discussions with various parties, including the DPR and related ministries regarding possible inoculation carried out by corporations.

"If we are assigned to hold private vaccination, of course as directed by the state leaders and Commission VI, there will be several notes, including the different types of vaccines to be used. So that the vaccine for free and private programs are not the same,” he explained.

Additionally, the implementation of the inoculation would kick off one to two months after the free vaccination begins. There would also be a clear legal basis. “We will just be ready for it,” he said.

Erick Thohir went on to report that state-owned pharmaceutical firm Bio Farma could produce up to 250 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine. The antibody had also passed international standards.

100 million doses of the vaccine had received certification from the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM), he informed, while the remaining 150 million doses were targeted to be certified in the next two months.

Read: COVID-19 Vaccination Will Not be Compulsory, Says Erick Thohir

ANTARA