VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

A total of 583,400 COVID-19 vaccines made by AstraZeneca arrived in Indonesia on Wednesday in the form of finished products, an official at the Health Ministry has said.

"The COVID-19 vaccine availability in Indonesia is secured. As of August 2021, as many as 43 million vaccine doses have been received, both in bulk and finished forms. While we estimate to receive 60 million doses in September," spokesperson for the COVID-19 vaccination program of the Health Ministry, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, said in a written statement received here on Wednesday.

The vaccine received on Wednesday were part of the 46th vaccine batch to arrive in Indonesia. With their arrival, Indonesia has received more than 218.5 million vaccine doses, either in bulk form or raw materials or finished products, she added. 

Vaccination can prevent people from getting seriously ill when they get infected by the virus, she reiterated. Vaccines are very important for the community to coexist with the coronavirus and carry out their daily activities with new behavior, she added.

"In addition, we have to maintain to conduct strict health protocols, especially wearing masks," she continued.

Furthermore, the ministry has reported that just one out of the 34 provinces in Indonesia will see its vaccine stock run out in less than 10 days.

"We are aware of the condition. The additional vaccine doses will be delivered soon," the spokesperson said.

In addition, she informed that Indonesia had succeeded in administering 100 million doses of the vaccine as of Tuesday.

"The government is committed to working hard in accelerating vaccinations by involving all stakeholders," she said.

Meanwhile, corporate secretary of state-owned pharmaceutical company PT Bio Farma, Bambang Heriyanto, said that the company has distributed 129,891,072 vaccine doses across Indonesia from January to the end of August this year.

On Wednesday, Bio Farma was scheduled to distribute 3,064,640 doses to 32 provinces in Indonesia, he informed.

"The disbursal of the vaccines is according to the allocation and request from the Health Ministry," he said.

Hence, Bio Farma will continue to coordinate with the ministry to distribute the vaccine, according to the ministry’s priority regions, he added. (Antaranews)