In Addition To AstraZeneca Vaccine Can Not Be A Condition Of Hajj-Umrah, Bio Farma Boss Asks The Government To Conduct Diplomacy

Medical personnel prepare Astrazeneca's COVID-19 vaccine before it is injected to hotel employees at Mardiwaloeja Hospital, Malang, East Java, Thursday (5/20/2021). BETWEEN PHOTOS/Ari Bowo Sucipto

JAKARTA - All types of vaccines in Indonesia so far can not be used as a condition of hajj or umrah to Saudi Arabia. AstraZeneca vaccine is an exception. Because, other vaccines especially made in China have not bagged a certificate from the World Health Organization (WHO).

As is known, in the national vaccination program, the Indonesian government uses vaccines made by Sinovac as well as vaccines made by PT Bio Farma whose raw materials come from Sinovac, as well as AsraZeneca.President Director of PT Bio Farma (Persero) Honesti Basyir asked the Indonesian government to conduct political diplomacy to the Government of Saudi Arabia. The diplomacy concerns the Saudi authorities who make vaccinations with certain types of vaccines as a condition of obtaining a permit for hajj and umrah." I think it's more because we need diplomacy as well from government to government. Then later our government and Saudi Arabia can conduct vaccine diplomacy that the vaccine that has been given to the People of Indonesia also applies to the hajj vaccine," he said in a meeting with Commission IX of the House of Representatives, Thursday, May 20.Furthermore, Honesti is optimistic that if diplomacy is conducted between the two countries, it is not impossible that Saudi Arabia will update the list of vaccines that are allowed to be a condition of entry of pilgrims or umrah." We believe that because the number of pilgrims in Indonesia is the largest in the world, their time is delayed because of the political problems of vaccines. We have conveyed to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Health to be able to start this diplomacy with the Government of Saudi Arabia," he said. Honesti said all types of vaccines in Indonesia so far can not be used as a condition of hajj or umrah to Saudi Arabia, except astrazeneca vaccine. Both sinovac vaccine and other vaccines, especially made in China, are said to have not yet obtained a certificate from WHO." Indeed none of the vaccines that we use today come in except AstraZeneca, which vaccines from China emang not yet," said Honesti.

However, honesti said, Sinopharm vaccine has obtained emergency use authorization (EUA) permission from WHO. As for Sinovac it is still in progress. Honesti said, previously Bio Farma has had discussions with Sinovac. From there it is known that no data whatsoever is requested by WHO as a condition of EUA approval. So granting an emergency use permit is just a matter of time." Hopefully maybe early June or the second Sunday of June, Sinovac is already getting EUA from WHO. So nati bsia become the basis we communicate with the government of Saudi Arabia, Sinovac, Sinopharm, and all vaccines used in Indonesia deserves to be a requirement," he explained. For information, the Saudi Arabian Authorities allow umrah, but with a note only for pilgrims who have been vaccinated covid-19. Later, The Minister of Religious Affairs yaqut Cholil Qoumas confirmed that the permit applies to pilgrims who have been injected with vaccines with certification from the World Health Organization (WHO). While it is known that Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine, which is mostly injected into Indonesians, is said to have not been certified by who. Although not yet certified from who, according to Yaqut, Sinovac vaccine does not mean it can not. He said it was likely that Sinovac was still in the process of obtaining a WHO daei certificate.