JAKARTA - Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir revealed that PT Bio Farma (Persero) will start producing the Merah Putih and BUMN vaccines in July 2022. In the early stages, there were about 77 million doses of the vaccine produced.
Erick said that since December 13, Bio Farma has conducted clinical trials of the COVID-19 vaccine and is targeting that phase 1, 2, and 3 clinical trials will be completed in early 2022.
Furthermore, Erick emphasized that the government continues to encourage the completion of domestic vaccine development. He also believes that domestic vaccine production will be able to suppress vaccine imports.
"Alhamdulillah, for Bio Farma's vaccine itself, clinical trials began on December 13 (2021). And of course, we hope that with this 1st, 2nd and 3rd clinical trials, we can suppress vaccine imports next year. We are ready to produce 77 million for the initial stage which can start in July (2022)," he said at the virtual Bali International Hospital groundbreaking event, Monday, December 27.
In addition to suppressing imported vaccines, Erick said that the country will continue to try to suppress imports of medicinal raw materials and medical equipment. Erick said that the health ecosystem is the key to economic resilience after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Currently, said Erick, the Ministry has consolidated state-owned companies operating in the medical field in one health cluster container. Bio Farma as a Health SOE holding will be focused on developing vaccines.
"Therefore, we are trying to work with various parties, whether it is an mRNA vaccine or a recombinant protein, which we are still exploring today," he said.
Then, continued Erick, Indofarma will focus on developing the herbal industry in medicine. According to him, Indonesia has a qualified nature and culture to develop the industry.
"We have our own herbal industry, sir, indeed we have nature and have a culture regarding this herbal industry. Therefore, our Indofarma will focus on developing the herbal industry rather than treatment," he said.
Meanwhile, Kimia Farma will focus on the production of generic drugs so that people can easily access cheap drugs.
"Generic drugs are slowly being synergized with Pertamina Petrochemical for medicinal raw materials. One of them (the production) is Paracetamol (with a target of) 3,800 tons per year," he said.
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