Health Minister: Covid-19 Vaccine Supply from China Runs Smoothly

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin confirmed that the Covid-19 vaccine stock for April and May is sufficient amid concerns that it might be disrupted due to embargos. One of them is committed by India which potentially causes uncertainty about the arrival of 100 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine this year.

“Indonesia has four sources of vaccines: China, London, the United States, and Germany-America. If one source is disturbed, inshallah [the supply from] other sources is still running smoothly, including one from China. They make a routine delivery once every two weeks,” said Budi Gunadi while monitoring the Covid-19 vaccination for artists at the National Gallery of Indonesia, Gambir, Jakarta, on Monday, April 19.

Yesterday, April 18, Indonesia received an additional 6 million vaccines in bulk produced by Sinovac, China. The supply, Budi added, could secure the national stocks for May.

“So, even though we hit a brake [in vaccination] because of hurdles for AstraZeneca [vaccine supply], we still receive ones from China. So the supply for April should have been fulfilled, and we have also prepared the supply for May,” Budi explained.

In total, the government has thus far received 59.5 million Sinovac vaccines in bulk or about 46-47 million doses.

State-owned pharmacy firm Bio Farma has processed 22 million doses of ready-to-use Covid-19 vaccines and distributed them across the country in order to accelerate the vaccination for 181.5 million Indonesians.

“We hope that vaccinations in all regions in April and May will run smoothly and well,” said Budi Gunadi.

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DEWI NURITA