DPR: Many People Want To Be Vaccinated Against COVID-19 But Are Constrained By Stock

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairman of Commission IX of the House of Representatives Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena said public awareness to get the COVID-19 vaccine is currently increasing compared to some time ago. However, this increase is inversely proportional to the availability of vaccine stocks in the country.

"I see now it's not about whether people want to or not (to be vaccinated against COVID-19, ed). There are many who want it now, but our vaccine stock must be brought in sooner," said Melki in an online discussion entitled Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Emergency PPKM in Handling a Pandemic COVID-19 broadcast on ILUNI UI YouTube, Saturday, August 7th.

According to him, the government continues to bring in stocks of COVID-19 vaccines, including in the form of raw materials or bulk. However, the management of bulk vaccines at PT Bio Farma turned out to take time so it could not be immediately distributed to various regions.

Melki also mentioned that there are still many COVID-19 vaccines that are not directly injected but are being held by the local government. So, people who want to get vaccinated are forced to bite their fingers.

"Usually (vaccines, ed) arrive in that area, the regional government saves it first and then it is injected after a certain moment. So that the vaccine in that area accumulates even up to 18 million if I'm not mistaken, which is then ordered to inject it," he said.

For this reason, he assesses that giving COVID-19 vaccination to the public is not an easy thing. But with the assistance of various parties such as the TNI and Polri, as well as related parties, he believes that the vaccine can be administered more quickly.

The Golkar Party politician also asked the government to immediately bring in more vaccines so that people can distribute them to areas in need.

"We have to bring our vaccine stock faster, prepare it well, and we can distribute it immediately," said Melki.

For information, data from the Ministry of Health as of August 6 yesterday recorded 49,391,058 people who had received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccination and 22,891,824 people underwent the second dose of vaccination. Meanwhile, the target of vaccination recipients in Indonesia is 208,265,720 people.