Health Minister: 'Indonesia Lucky to be Early Vaccine Recipient'
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3 February 2021 13:59 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin on Wednesday said that Indonesia is one of the first lucky countries to have conducted a national Covid-19 vaccination program and attributes this to the collective commitment with vaccine-producing countries.
“Indonesia is really lucky to have received early batch vaccines,” said Minister Budi Gunadi in the virtual Mandiri Investment Forum event on February 3, 2021.
He then explained that Indonesia managed to obtain vaccines from China’s Sinovac Biotech in forms of ready to be used vials and in raw material bulks. The latter is later processed further by state pharmaceutical firm Bio Farma.
The Sinovac vaccines were transported to Indonesia in phases since December 2020 and now have received the fourth delivery that consists of 10 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine on Tuesday, February 2. In total, Indonesia has received 3 million vaccine vials and 25 million doses in bulk form.
Apart from Sinovac, Indonesia has obtained commitments from vaccine producers such as AstraZeneca and the COVAX facility.
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FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA