VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

 Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy has said that the Merah Putih Vaccine, which is currently in its first day of clinical trials, has become one of the super-priority programs, according to President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

"I am in charge of coordinating, synchronizing, and controlling priority programs. This vaccine is included in the President's super-priority program towards Indonesia's vaccine independence," Effendy said during the Kick-Off of the Merah Putih Vaccine Clinical Trial at the Dr. Soetomo Surabaya Hospital, Wednesday.

Effendy later said that the Merah Putih Vaccine entering the clinical trial stage was an extraordinary success by local scientists.

On the same occasion, East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa said the success of the Merah Putih Vaccine in undergoing clinical trials was the result of cooperation between various parties.

Parawansa stated that all groups must continue their collaboration in developing the Merah Putih Vaccine, in an effort to gain World Health Organization (WHO) recognition.

“Hopefully, the communication with WHO will be successful so that the Merah Putih Vaccine will have approval from them," she noted.

Meanwhile, the Rector of Airlangga University (Unair), Professor Mohammad Nasih, said that the clinical trial of the Merah Putih vaccine will be carried out in three phases.

"The first phase will be attended by 90 participants. While the second stage will be followed by 400 participants, and the third stage will be attended by 5,000 participants," he said.

Unair would continue to focus on developing the Merah Putih Vaccine and become one of the initiators in Indonesia's vaccine independence.

"Thank you for the support from all parties, including Minister Effendy, Health Minister, The National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM), the provincial government, and of course the research team, as well as the team from Dr. Soetomo Hospital. They have worked together to produce a local vaccine made in Indonesia," Nasih noted. (Antaranews)