RI Vaccine Grants Arrive In Nigeria, Government: Part Of Diplomacy Tools

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The International Development Cooperation Fund (LDKPI) reports that Indonesia's 730,000 doses of vaccine grant to Nigeria have arrived in the country.

LDKPI President Director Tormarbulang Lumbantobing said this delivery was the first phase of a total of 1.5 million doses of Pentavalen vaccine supplied by PT Bio Farma. According to him, the second phase of delivery will be carried out in mid-June.

"This vaccine will be distributed to a number of hospitals and other health facilities and is targeted to be injected all until December 2023," he said in a written statement on Wednesday, May 31.

Tormar menjelaskan, bahwa vaksin ini dapat membantu lebih dari 500.000 bayi di Nigeria, untuk mendapatkan kekebalan dari lima jenis penyakit yang dapat ditahkan dengan satu suntikan vaksin pentavalen.

For Indonesia, of course, we want grants as a diplomatic tool to also be able to encourage the progress of the national economy. For example, Bio Farma and other SOEs, including our domestic business actors. We will encourage and bridge them so that they have access and expansion of the international market, we encourage exports, we open investment opportunities and partnership opportunities, there is also technology transfer there," he said.

Tormar explained that the pentavalen vaccine itself is touted as a future vaccine. This vaccine can prevent five types of diseases at once in one injection, namely diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzaae type B.

"This is in line with what was conveyed by the Minister of Finance yesterday. There is a mandate in the APBN Law that we must implement," he added.

Meanwhile, vaccine support worth IDR 30.3 billion is expected to help the vaccination program for the country with the highest population and most populous population on the African continent.