Paid Vaccines: Rejected By DPR, Postponed By Kimia Farma

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health issues changes to the implementation of the Mutual Cooperation Vaccine. In the Minister of Health Regulation No.19/2021, individuals or individuals can access the COVID-19 vaccination.

Currently, the vaccination program for these individuals can only be carried out at Kimia Farma's health care facilities in eight points in Java and Bali.

The purchase price of the vaccine under the Gotong Royong scheme is Rp. 321,660 per dose. Meanwhile, the maximum tariff for vaccination services is Rp. 117,910 per dose.

The government through Kimia Farma has imposed a paid vaccination using the Sinopharm vaccine worth IDR 879,140 per two doses for individuals or individuals starting Monday, July 12.

It has not yet been implemented, Paid vaccines have been protested and rejected by the DPR. One of them is from the PKS Faction.

Deputy Chairperson of the PKS Faction of the DPR RI, Netty Prasetiyani Aher, has warned the government not to issue policies that are considered to be seeking profit from the people. He emphasized that vaccination to overcome non-natural disasters such as pandemics is the responsibility of the state for the safety of its people.

"Every individual must have equal and equal access through free vaccination. So, the paid vaccine option is like an effort to make profit by extorting the people," said Netty to reporters, Monday, July 12.

Moreover, the member of Commission IX of the DPR RI revealed that so far there has been no discussion with the DPR regarding mutual cooperation vaccinations for individuals or individuals.

"The policy that has been approved is mutual cooperation vaccination which is financed by the company. That too is permitted with many notes. Now suddenly a paid vaccine policy appears for individuals," explained Netty.

In line with his colleague, Member of Commission IX of the Indonesian House of Representatives Kurniasih Mufidayati hopes that President Joko Widodo will remain consistent in the policy of free COVID-19 vaccines for all Indonesians, instead of issuing a paid vaccine regulation.

Mufida recalled President Jokowi's statement that the provision of vaccines must be ensured free of charge for the community. "This is President Joko Widodo's promise in mid-December 2020," Mufida told reporters on Monday, July 12.

The PKS politician was surprised, suddenly the Minister of Health issued the Minister of Health Regulation No. 19 of 2021 as the second amendment to Permenkes No. 10/2021 on the implementation of vaccination. In the Minister of Health Regulation 19 of 2021, it is regulated that mutual cooperation vaccinations can be given to individuals and costs are charged to the person concerned or paid vaccines.

Mufida emphasized that the free vaccine policy is to accelerate the national vaccination target. This includes the mutual cooperation vaccination program which was borne by the company and free for employees.

"We note that the government often changes regulations, so now there is a paid vaccine," said the Jakarta legislator.

PT Kimia Farma (Persero) Tbk has postponed the paid COVID-19 vaccination, which was supposed to be held on Monday, July 12. This postponement was made due to the high interest and questions from the public regarding the program.

"We apologize that the Individual Mutual Assistance Vaccination schedule, which originally started on Monday, July 12, 2021, will be postponed until further notice," said Kimia Farma's written statement, Monday, July 12.

This decision was taken because the management of the company wanted to socialize the Individual Mutual Cooperation Vaccination or paid vaccines to the public.

In addition, they also want to arrange the registration flow for the prospective vaccine participants first.

"The amount of interest and the many questions that came in made the management decide to extend the socialization period for Individual Mutual Assistance Vaccination and arrangements for participant registration," said Kimia Farma.

Member of Commission IX of the DPR Nurhadi asked the government to exercise restraint and not to make policies that are counterproductive in the midst of handling the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to him, the government in authority should not take advantage or opportunity in a crisis by charging the price of vaccines, especially independent or mutual cooperation vaccines. The reason is that people have to pay more than Rp800 thousand for two doses of Sinopharm vaccine at Kimia Farma clinic.

"So far, people know that vaccination is free because it is the government's responsibility during a pandemic. Don't let this issue become a turmoil in the community and disrupt a relatively well-run program," Nurhadi told reporters on Monday, July 12.

It is known that the spokesperson for the COVID-19 vaccination of the Ministry of Health, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, has indeed explained that this individual Gotong Royong vaccination is only one option to accelerate the implementation of vaccination. However, Kimia Farma has decided to postpone the schedule for access to mutual cooperation vaccines after a number of protests.

"The aim is good, but it seems sad. I agree that this has been postponed and transparent socialization should really be carried out so as not to give rise to many interpretations and the government or certain parties are considered to be commercializing the COVID-19 pandemic," explained the NasDem politician.

Moreover, the East Java electoral district legislator continued, the launch of the mutual cooperation vaccine should have been submitted to the DPR, especially Commission IX in charge of health issues. Because, said Nurhadi, from the beginning in the context of handling the COVID pandemic, it has been decided that vaccination for the people is free or free.

"Therefore, when the independent or individual vaccination policy emerged, it was quite confusing. Commission IX was also never spoken to. So I am worried that if people understand that having to pay, it will be counter-productive. Therefore, it must be considered again, reviewed again," said Nurhadi.

To create hard immunity, he said, government readiness and overall public awareness are needed. "So I think the acceleration of vaccination does not have to be followed by a paid vaccination policy. I am afraid that there is an assumption in the wider community that in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the state is doing business with its people," he said.

Nurhadi then gave a number of suggestions and inputs to the Ministry of Health, Kimia Farma and relevant stakeholders if the independent or individual vaccines were to be carried out.

First, first propose to the DPR, and if approved, first massively socialize the difference between free vaccines and mutual cooperation vaccines. "Vaccines that can be purchased individually, the legal umbrella must also be prepared," he reminded.

Second, the vaccines that are sold are vaccines that are not the same as those that are free of charge by the government. "Thirdly, don't sell aid vaccines or grants from other countries," said Nurhadi.

Previously, the paid Individual Gotong Royong vaccination schedule, which was originally accessible at Kimia Farma Clinic, was postponed today. Kimia Farma will first extend the socialization process.

"We apologize that the Individual Mutual Assistance Vaccination schedule which originally started on Monday, July 12, 2021, will be postponed until further notice," said Corporate Communications PT Kimia Farma Apotek, Novia Valentina, Monday, July 12.

Kimia Farma claims that it is necessary to extend the socialization period for this paid Gotong Royong vaccination because of the enthusiasm of the public who want to know more about the vaccine.

"The amount of interest and the many questions that came in made the Management decide to extend the socialization period for Individual Mutual Assistance Vaccination and arrangements for registration of prospective participants," he said.