Indonesia's Bio Farma Sends 1.5 Million Pentavalent Vaccines to Nigeria

TEMPO.CO, Bandung - State-owned pharmaceutical holding firm Bio Farma sent 1.5 million pentavalent vaccine doses under the Pentabio trade brand to Nigeria, which was sent under the Indonesian AID program. The delivery is a form of global solidarity to support equality in obtaining vaccines.

“Nigeria is one of the countries that has opened this program. Sinergi Bio Farma and Indonesia AID have also extended to other African countries in Kenya and Zimbabwe with a grant roughly amounting to US$4 million,” said Bio Farma president director Honesti Basyir on Tuesday, May 30, 2023.

Honesti said that the pentavalent vaccine – produced at the Bio Farma factory in Bandung – is one of the company's most distinguished products which passed the World Health Organization’s (WHO) certification. Moreover, Bio Farma director of operations Rahman Roestan said the company and Nigeria will conduct a transfer of technology with Nigerian local pharmacies. 

“The large population and high birthrate figures in Nigeria and West African regional areas can open the chance for Bio Farma to expand its vaccine market and establish Nigeria as a vaccine production hub,” said Basyir.

The company also thanked the Nigerian government which has placed its trust in the company’s national immunization program. The Indonesian-produced pentavalent vaccine will be shipped in two phases with the first phase disseminating 730,000 vaccine doses and the second phase will be 850,000 doses. 

AHMAD FIKRI

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