VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

The Indonesian government is collaborating with UNICEF to present an effective and affordable Covid-19 vaccine. Both parties are also determined that the COVID-19 vaccine should be available for all elements of society.

Minister of Health Terawan Agus Putranto said they use the COVAX Facility scheme fronted by the vaccine alliance, GAVI. Indonesia will have safe, fast, and equitable access to the Covid-19 vaccine when it is found and then produced.

"UNICEF and its partners are committed to countries that have joined COVAX, including Indonesia, to procure and deliver a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine quickly and on a large scale," Terawan said at the Siwabessy Auditorium, Ministry of Health, Jakarta, on Wednesday.

The procurement and purchase of vaccines will be carried out through the Supply Division of UNICEF based in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Through this division it is possible to place orders for large quantities of vaccines at a lower price, resulting in significant savings.

"This partnership will enable Indonesia to purchase new vaccines such as the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) at 1/3 of the current market price. If measured nationally, this could prevent nearly 10,000 child deaths every year," Debora Comini, UNICEF Representative Indonesia said.

Comini explained, the Covid-19 pandemic motivated this agreement Confirmed cases that continue to increase and put the country with the highest number of deaths in Southeast Asia, it is important for Indonesia to get easy access to new medicines and vaccines.

He considered that in the future, many countries would strive to meet the needs of vaccines and drugs in their regions.

For this reason, through this cooperation agreement, he believes Indonesia will get many benefits including reducing the price of vaccines and drugs as well as establishing vaccine development cooperation between Indonesian domestic producers (Biofarma) and UNICEF.

"While we are looking forward to the COVID-19 vaccine, we have to remember to focus on the basics. Routine immunizations for children, strong supply chains, trained health workers, and community awareness of the benefits. This is a basis that we must not forget," he said.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said that since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, Indonesia has been actively establishing international and multilateral cooperation, including through the WHO Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator - COVAX Facility, to strive for easy access, safety, and affordable vaccine prices.

With Indonesia's entry into the COVAX Facility, Indonesia is guaranteed access to affordable and quality COVID-19 vaccines for 20 percent of the population at risk by the end of 2021.

Until now, the Indonesian government has continued to maintain intensive communication with GAVI and the COVAX Facility to know the timing of vaccine supplies and the price.

"Hopefully this endeavor will work well and cooperation both inside and outside is no longer an option, but a necessity so we can win. the war against COVID-19," he concluded. (RRI)