VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Mar. 18 - Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) expressed belief that Toraja Airport in Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi, and Pantar Airport in Alor, East Nusa Tenggara, could become the drivers of economic growth.

Jokowi conveyed the statement during the inauguration of the Toraja and Pantar airports in Tana Toraja District, South Sulawesi, on Thursday, which was witnessed virtually in Jakarta.

"These two airports are expected to boost regional economic growth, create more jobs, and trigger and revive new economic centers," the president noted in Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi, on Thursday.

The president inaugurated two airports -- Toraja and Pantar -- in Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi.

The head of state noted that the Toraja Airport will boost connectivity and the development of tourism.

"Later, from Makassar, Bali, Jakarta, Bandung, we can go directly to Tana Toraja to see Kete Kesu, Pango-Pango. I have been here once, but I have never seen all of this," he remarked.

Meanwhile, the president noted that Pantar Airport would be a viable alternative in the event of unconducive weather at sea. (Antaranews)

Mar. 18 - Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, co-chairing the COVAX AMC Engagement Group, highlighted that 46 nations had obtained COVID-19 vaccines under the global vaccine sharing program started by the World Health Organization (WHO).

While chairing a virtual COVAX AMC meeting on Wednesday night, Marsudi, in the company Ethiopian Health Minister Lia Tadesse and Canadian Minister for International Development Karina Gould, drew attention to positive developments since last January that offered a ray of hope amid challenges and dynamism that mandated proper collective handling.

“Since our last meeting, we have witnessed significant progress with the vaccination program having started in at least 131 countries, and COVAX has delivered more than 28.3 million (vaccine doses) to more than 46 countries. All of this gives hope. Let us continue to work together to maintain this momentum," Marsudi was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday.

The minister additionally underscored new challenges that the world faces in the form of new variants of coronavirus and matters pertaining to scheduling of vaccine delivery.

At the COVAX AMC meeting, WHO experts and the CEO of the Vaccine Alliance (GAVI), among others, stated that the COVAX Facility had successfully mobilized funds amounting to US$6.3 billion (some Rp90.7 trillion) and entered a pact with vaccine manufacturing companies to procure as much as 2.3 billion doses in 2021.

The meeting also discussed the projection of vaccine allocations and subsequent delivery times for AMC countries until the end of 2021.

With regard to the decisions of several nations to postpone the provision of AstraZeneca vaccines, especially those produced in Europe, following reports of the impact after vaccination, the WHO continues to communicate on a regular basis with various authorities in Europe and the world, in general, over the safety aspects of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The WHO concluded that to date, the AstraZeneca vaccine offered benefits surpassing the risks faced. Hence, the WHO recommends that vaccination with AstraZeneca be continued.

The COVAX AMC Engagement Group is a forum between 92 developing and least developed countries (AMC) and donor countries for the procurement and distribution of vaccines for AMC countries. To this end, the COVAX Facility has a vaccine procurement target for 20 percent of the population of every AMC country and supports AMC countries to support their national vaccination plans.

Indonesia has until now received 1,113,600 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine from the COVAX Facility, which is part of the allocation of the first round of AstraZeneca vaccine shipments from the global vaccine sharing scheme.

In the first round of allocations, Indonesia will receive 11,704,800 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine that will be sent gradually until May 2021. (Antaranews)

Mar. 18 - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) inaugurated Pantar Airport, located in Alor District, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), on Thursday that aims to provide better connectivity in the region.

At the virtual inauguration of Toraja Airport, Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi, President Jokowi is upbeat about Pantar Airport being an alternative connecting infrastructure to Alor, particularly during times when people cannot use sea modes.

"This is also a very important airport. Hence, if weather conditions at sea are less hospitable, then you can use this airport," President Jokowi explained.

Pantar Airport, built since 2014, has been operational and annually able to serve 35 thousand passengers.

President Jokowi is optimistic that Pantar Airport would drive economic growth in Alor, NTT.

"It will also help to create more jobs and trigger the revival of new economic centers," President Jokowi affirmed.

On the same occasion, the head of state also inaugurated Toraja Airport, Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi. (Antaranews)

Mar. 18 - The Health Ministry expressed optimism that 1.1 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, procured under the Covax multilateral scheme and the World Health Organization (WHO), would be administered before its expiry date in May 2021.

"We are optimistic, as currently, 250 thousand to 350 thousand doses of the vaccine are administered daily. It means we can administer 1.1 million doses of the vaccine within six days," the ministry's spokesperson on COVID-19 vaccination, Siti Nadia Tarmidzi, noted in a statement here on Thursday.

As many as 1,113,600 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine weighing 4.1 tons had arrived in Indonesia on March 8, 2021.

It was the first batch of free vaccine delivery out of a total of 11,704,800 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine allotted for Indonesia under the WHO's Covax multilateral scheme.

Covax is co-led by the vaccine alliance Gavi, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) and WHO. It targets to accelerate the development and manufacturing of COVID-19 vaccines and to guarantee fair and equitable access for every country in the world.

The government has decided to suspend distribution of the AstraZeneca vaccine following reports on its side-effect.

"The suspension is part of the government's prudential approach, and it is also based on the guidance of the National Food and Drug Control (BPOM)," she remarked.

During the delay, the BPOM will conduct the quality control process to ensure that all vaccines are in good condition before being administered to the public. (Reuters)