VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin joins the Studium Generale of Nahdlatul Ulama University Surabaya via video conferencing from his official residence in Jakarta on Saturday (August 28, 2021). ANTARA/HO-Asdep KIP Setwapres - 

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin has said that the government will not only rely on imports of COVID-19 vaccines for meeting people's needs, but also support the development of local vaccines.

"The government also continues to encourage the development of national vaccines so that we do not just rely on imported vaccines," Amin said at the Studium Generale of Nahdlatul Ulama University (UNU) Surabaya, which is joined via video conferencing from his official residence here on Saturday.

Currently, there are two domestically-made COVID-19 vaccines — the Nusantara Vaccine and the Red and White Vaccine, he noted. The government has set a target to produce vaccines and medicines for COVID-19 handling immediately, he added.

"The government targets that in the future, we will be able to produce COVID-19 vaccines and other medicines for the nation's independence in the field of public health," Amin said.

Vaccination is one of the government's priorities in handling the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to implementing the health protocols.

The government is aiming to build community immunity or herd immunity by vaccinating at least 70 percent of the total population of Indonesia.

The implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination is also aimed at reducing the transmission of active cases and the death rate.

“Vaccination is also targeted to help the country achieve herd immunity, and at the same time protect the citizens from COVID-19, so that they remain socially and economically productive," the Vice President said.

As part of efforts to end the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has collaborated with several countries for securing COVID-19 vaccines for the people of Indonesia.

As of Friday (August 27, 2021), Indonesia has received 208.7 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and distributed 123,256,044 doses to 34 provinces//ANT