Erick Thohir: The Price Of The COVID-19 Vaccine From China Is Sold For IDR 438 Thousand, Expensive Or Cheap?

JAKARTA - The government has established a distribution scheme for the COVID-19 vaccine, which is planned to start mass production in December-January 2021. There are two schemes established, namely free and paid vaccines.

The free vaccine is intended for BPJS Kesehatan participants. Meanwhile, paid or independent vaccines for high-income people. The government has estimated the price of independent vaccines per person.

So what price must the community pay for vaccination? Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) and Chairman of the Committee for Handling COVID-19 and National Economic Recovery (PEN) Erick Thohir said the initial calculation of the price of vaccines was IDR 365,000 to IDR 438,000.

However, said Erick, this figure is a rough calculation. Currently, PT Bio Farma as the party that developed the vaccine from China is still reviewing the price.

"Our initial calculation, this vaccine costs 25 US dollars (equivalent to Rp365,000) to 30 US dollars (Rp438,000) per person. However, Bio Farma is recalculating how much it costs. Later one person will be injected twice. with a break of 2 weeks, "said Erick after conducting the RDP with Commission VI of the DPR, Thursday, August 27.

Erick explained that the determination of the vaccine price per person is in accordance with the price of vaccine raw materials per dose of US $ 8, or the equivalent of Rp. 116,000 which the government bought from a pharmaceutical company from China, Sinovac.

However, Erick believes, in 2021 the price of vaccine raw materials will fall in the range of 6 US dollars to 7 US dollars per dose. Moreover, he said, Indonesia is also developing a red and white vaccine.

Previously, in a meeting with Commission IX and the Ministry of Health, Erick said that he already had plans for vaccine distribution. There are two vaccine delivery schemes that will be implemented by the government.

The first scheme is vaccine free. However, not all people get it. This free vaccine is only intended for BPJS Health participants.

"This government-assisted vaccine is funded through the State Budget (APBN) budget, using BPJS Health data there will be a mass free vaccine at the beginning of next year. So those registered at BPJS Health are free," he said.

The second scheme, said Erick, is a paid vaccine for community groups who are not BPJS Kesehatan participants. They can do the vaccination independently using their personal funds.

Erick said this proposal came from the government's efforts to reduce the need for the state budget, which has so far been widening its budget deficit, because it had to overcome the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We also propose that people can pay for independent vaccines for those who can afford it, to meet our state budget needs as well. But with what level of ability to pay, it will be independent," he said.