VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Medical officers carry out health checks on residents before administering the AstraZeneca vaccine at the Pengadegan Sports Center (GOR), Jakarta, on June 10, 2021. The DKI Jakarta provincial government has opened COVID-19 vaccinations for all residents over the age of 18 on the condition that they bring an ID card or a domicile certificate. (ANTARA PHOTOS/Dhemas Reviyanto/wsj) - 

The Indonesian Health Ministry has removed the domicile requirement for COVID-19 vaccinations at all government-owned service posts in order to ramp up immunizations to 1 million doses per day.

"The service post can provide services to all targets regardless of domicile or place of residence on the ID card," said acting director general of disease prevention and control at the ministry, Dr. Maxi Rein Rondonuwu, in a written statement received here on Friday.

The provision has been laid down in Circular Number HK.02.02/I/1669/2021 regarding the Acceleration of the Implementation of COVID-19 Vaccination through Vaccination Service Post Activities and Optimization of the Vertical Technical Implementation Units (UPTs) of the Health Ministry.

According to the circular, the COVID-19 vaccination program can be accelerated through vaccination service post activities and in collaboration with the military, police, community organizations, the vertical Technical Implementation Units (UPTs) of the Health Ministry, such as the Port Health Office (KKP), vertical hospitals, the Health Polytechnic (Poltekkes), and with the help of entrepreneurs.

"The Health Ministry’s vaccination service posts are located in Hang Jebat and all vertical UPTs of the ministry, such as the Port Health Office (KKP), vertical hospitals, and Poltekkes," Rondonuwu said.

The service posts are meant to boost the vaccination program at vertical UPTs, he added.

The circular has been sent to all directors of vertical hospitals, all directors of health polytechnics, and all heads of the Port Health Office, he informed.

"The government plans to accelerate the implementation of COVID-19 vaccination with a vaccination target of 1 million doses per day through the provision of vaccines and logistics for COVID-19 vaccinations that meet the quality, efficacy, and safety requirements," he said.

To achieve the vaccination target and achieve herd immunity, all agencies need to synergize and collaborate, he added.

"The need for vaccines and logistics for COVID-19 vaccination is fulfilled by the Health Ministry, in accordance with applicable regulations," Rondonuwu said.

COVID-19 vaccines allocated and distributed at each term can be used to provide the first and second doses of the vaccine to those who need them and come to the vaccination service, he informed.

Given that the interval between the first and second doses of Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine is 28 days and that for the AstraZeneca vaccine is 8 to 12 weeks, medical officers do not need to store two doses of vaccines at the same time, he pointed out//ANT