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JAKARTA - The price of self-vaccine or gotong royong is considered too high or expensive for some parties.

The government set a price of Rp321,660 per dose and a maximum tariff of vaccination services worth Rp117,910 per one-time injection of vaccines. While one person needs two doses, so the price to be paid is Rp879,140.

Special Staff of the Minister of SOEs Arya Sinulingga said this pricing has involved various parties. According to Arya, the price is the government's best effort in procuring vaccinations.

"Yes (the price of vaccination) is our best effort," he said in a virtual discussion, Friday, March 21.

The gotong royong vaccination program began on May 18. In the first phase of the program, the vaccine is available as much as 420 thousand doses of vaccine. However, of these only 210 people will get the vaccine.

"In May we launched may 18th it can only be 420 thousand (doses of vaccine), later 210 thousand (people) will be able to. Compared to our target of 10-15 million needs already signed up. So if it is said to accelerate (national vaccination) makes it cheap, just look for the vaccine is difficult. It also wants to be cheap, but it can be that way," he said.

Tekait with a margin or profit of 15 percent to 20 percent, Arya claimed not to know the exact amount of margin. He stressed that the fomula of pricing of gotong royong vaccination has involved many parties. This includes businessmen who are members of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce.

"I also do not know about the margin figures. Certainly it is set four institutions (Ministry of Health, Financial Supervision and Development Agency (BPKP), tender institutions and also the Indonesian chamber of commerce and industry (Kadin)," he said.

Previously, SOE Minister Erick Thohir confirmed that all people are entitled to vaccines for free. However, due to the limited number of vaccines, there is a priority for vaccine recipients. For example, first-stage vaccinations for doctors, nurses and those at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to him, the second stage of vaccination is reserved for the elderly because statistical data shows the mortality rate of elderly due to COVID-19 is high. Lastly, new vaccinations are open to the general public.

"Initiation of the vaccine gotong royong itself from kadin Indonesia, national entrepreneurs who care about their nation and they want to participate contribute more to the country by providing vaccinations through the independent cost of their respective companies to their employees for free," he said, Thursday, May 20.

Challenge the commercialization of gotong royong vaccine

Erick Thohir said the pricing of gotong royong vaccine has been done transparently, even in audit by the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP). Although the procurement of vaccines is carried out by pharmaceutical SOEs, PT Bio Farma (Persero), Erick insists the government is not looking to profit from the gotong royong vaccination program.

"Since our inception state-owned enterprises are very open, we do not think for the commercialization of this vaccine. But the reality that we have to face that this vaccine should be bought and not a vaccine obtained for free," he said.

The former Inter Milan boss said the government spends Rp77 trillion a year on the COVID-19 vaccination program. According to Erick, the amount of budget prepared by the Indonesian government is the largest in the world.

Erick said the budget is needed to pursue vaccination targets for up to 70 percent of the population. He guaranteed that there was no commercialization by the government in the distribution of this vaccine.

"So do not look at the context of the government present looking for margins or profits in the distribution of vaccines and this I think the world's largest Rp77 trillion," he said