The Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) and the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), will depart for China and the United Arab Emirates next month, to ensure the halalness of the Covid-19 vaccine imported from the two countries.

The Chief Executive of the Committee for Handling COVID-19 (KPCPEN) and National Economic Recovery, Erick Thohir admitted that he had met with Vice President Ma'ruf Amin to ask for support.

He said, during the first vaccine test in Bandung, MUI was present to ensure the safety and halal vaccines of the two countries.

"We also ensure that this vaccine is halal and according to our standards. Therefore we send BPOM to the UAE and God willing to China this October with MUI," Erick said at a webinar entitled 'Healthy Transportation, Advanced Indonesia' held by the Ministry of Transportation, on Tuesday.

Erick also ensures that Indonesia will receive 310 million doses of the vaccine by the end of 2021. This number includes an additional 10 percent in the agreement between Indonesia and Sinovac in China and the United Arab Emirates.

Meanwhile, until the end of the year, there will be 30 million vaccines first. This vaccine will be injected first for medical personnel such as doctors, nurses, and midwives before they carry out mass immunization to the community early next year.

"We hope that we can stabilize it rather than maintain public health until we can produce the red and white vaccine which will be developed in early 2022," Erick said.

In the vaccine development program, the Indonesian government will inject around IDR 5 trillion in funds into Bio Farma. The target is that the company can produce as many as 30 million to 40 million vaccines.

Bio Farma, through a pharmaceutical BUMN holding, collaborates with Sinovac Biotech Ltd from China. Later, Bio Farma will also collaborate with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation (CEPI), a collaboration between government and private sector at the global level based in Norway. (RRI)