Ridwan Kamil Asks For Expert Input Regarding COVID-19 Vaccination

Ridwan Kamil (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Policy Committee for Handling COVID-19 and Regional Economic Recovery of West Java Province Ridwan Kamil asked for input from experts regarding the implementation of COVID-19 vaccination.

This was conveyed by the Governor of West Java during a video teleconference with World Health Organization (WHO) Senior Advisor Diah Satyani Saminarsih and Professor of the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia Prof. Akmal Taher.

"If possible, I want to get accurate and fast knowledge from WHO about vaccine injection in the Bodebek area (Bogor-Depok-Bekasi)," Ridwan Kamil said as quoted by Antara, Wednesday, October 21.

"So when I provide information to the public, I can explain," he added.

The central government plans to vaccinate 9.1 million residents from November to December 2020 and the West Java Provincial Government proposes an allocation of vaccines for three million residents in Bogor, Depok and Bekasi (Bodebek), whose transmission rates of the coronary virus are high.

This week, the West Java Provincial Government plans to hold a COVID-19 vaccination simulation in Depok City to check the readiness of officers to carry out vaccinations.

Kang Emil, his nickname, said that the provincial government is focused on overcoming the transmission of COVID-19 in areas with many cases of corona virus transmission.

"West Java's energy and budget in the short term (to tackle COVID-19) will focus on Bodebek," he said.

Meanwhile, Prof. Akmal suggested that the government use health centers to increase efforts to examine and trace COVID-19 cases as has been done by the Thai Government.

According to him, Thailand had successfully detected early and prevented transmission of COVID-19 by empowering health centers.

"So we propose tracing (tracking) and testing to be carried out at the health center, because we have not used it. Especially if we want to maintain basic health services," he said.

Then, the WHO Senior Advisor also pointed out the important role of community health centers in controlling the transmission of the corona virus and implementing public health services in general. "Investments in puskesmas, basic health services, will support the health of a country," said Diah.

The VOI editorial team will continue to monitor all developments made by the world to fight COVID-19 through vaccines. Dear readers, can monitor the development of the COVID-19 vaccine procurement, both domestically and internationally, by touching this link.