Individual Paid Vaccines Considered Sales And Objections

JAKARTA - The government through SOEs provides paid vaccine services for individuals in the Mutual Cooperation vaccination scheme. The initial question that comes to mind is why should there be a paid vaccine for individuals if there is already a free vaccine in the national vaccination program?

This was answered by the Special Staff (Staffsus) of the Minister of SOEs, Erick Thohir, Arya Sinulingga. Arya said that the self-vaccination included in the Gotong Royong vaccination program was carried out in order to accelerate the target of immunity as much as 70 percent of Indonesian people have been vaccinated.

"This is part of the steps so that vaccinations can be carried out and completed quickly. Our target is to achieve herd immunity," Arya told reporters, Sunday, July 11.

Moreover, said Arya, the implementation of individual paid vaccinations from state-owned companies was carried out after receiving the approval of the Ministry of Health. Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin has issued a Decree of the Minister of Health Number HK.01.07/Menkes/4643/2021.

"This is because the Ministry of Health has issued technical rules regarding VGR, which is allowed not only for companies but for individuals," said Arya.

Arya emphasized that the existence of this paid vaccination facility does not mean that it will shift the national vaccination program which is free or does not impose costs on the community. This paid vaccine, he said, is an option.

"Our goal is to make vaccinations happen more quickly in the community, the sooner they can be implemented. So there are many choices. So, the free vaccines implemented by the government are still running," he explained.

The provision of paid vaccinations was criticized by an epidemiologist from the University of Indonesia, Pandu Riono. Although Arya Sinulingga said it was for the sake of accelerating herd immunity, Pandu saw another reason, namely wanting to make a profit by selling vaccines.

"Just say selling vaccines, don't say herd-immunity.... the hidden motivation for vaccines is mutual cooperation, not selling to help control the pandemic. There's no need to lie to @KemenBUMN," said Pandu, quoted from the Twitter account @drpriono1.

Pandu views that the paid vaccine which is included in the Mutual Cooperation (VGR) vaccination program should not be carried out. Because, according to him, vaccines are a public health support, not a product that is traded.

"The vaccine is a public health good, not a commercial product," he said.

The Corporate Secretary of PT Kimia Farma Tbk, Change Winarno Putro, denied that SOEs seek profit in procuring paid COVID-19 vaccinations to individuals.

Change explained that in principle this state-owned company seeks to support the COVID-19 vaccination program in Indonesia through mutual cooperation vaccination, both for individuals and private companies.

"We, as one of the SOEs, support for the acceleration and also for the expansion of this mutual cooperation vaccination. So it is not for commercialization," said Change in a virtual discussion.

Moreover, he said, the paid vaccination fee for this individual follows the provisions of the Ministry of Health. Accompanied by the supervision of the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP).

"Everything is open, both in terms of price components and so on and has been reviewed by an independent institution," he said.