Social Minister Risma Brings Good News For People With Disabilities, They Will Get Priority To Get COVID-19 Vaccine

JAKARTA - Minister of Social Affairs Tri Rismaharini prioritizes people with disabilities to get the COVID-19 vaccine by mobilizing Regional Heads to facilitate access for them.

"I also ask all regional heads to help facilitate access to vaccinations for people with disabilities. We have sent letters to the heads of the Java and Bali Provincial Social Services to collect data on prospective vaccination recipients," Risma said in a statement in Jakarta, reported by Antara, Tuesday, September 28.

The Ministry of Social Affairs has provided data on persons with disabilities from Balai, Social Welfare Institutions (LKS), and Regional Technical Implementation Units (UPTD) as vaccination targets.

From the coordination of the Ministry of Social Affairs with the Ministry of Health and the Office of Social Affairs in Java-Bali, it was recorded that the targets in Java and Bali were as many as 225.000 persons with disabilities, and data had been collected for 112.471 people consisting of 106.357 data from the Social Service and 6.114 data from the Health Office.

In addition, the Ministry of Social Affairs through the Ministry of Social Affairs Centers throughout Indonesia also provides places for vaccination as well as assistance services for persons with disabilities to vaccination centers starting from pick-up to discharge.

Risma said that people with disabilities were not initially included in the COVID-19 priority vaccination scheme.

Then the Ministry of Social Affairs moved quickly to send a letter to the Minister of Health regarding the Acceleration of the Implementation of Covid-19 Vaccination for Persons with Disabilities.

"Thank God, we immediately responded with vaccinations for people with disabilities in Jakarta through Circular Letter No. HK.02.01/MENKES/598/2021 regarding the Acceleration of the Implementation of COVID-19 Vaccinations for Elderly People, People with Disabilities and Educators and Education Personnel," she said.