Sri Mulyani: Don't Be Afraid, The Procurement Of Vaccines In Indonesia Is According To WHO Standards

Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani. (Photo: Instagram @smindrawati)

JAKARTA - Minister of Finance (Menkeu) Sri Mulyani Indrawati emphasized that the procurement process for the COVID-19 vaccine in Indonesia will use the standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO).

In fact, said the Minister of Finance, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) also asked that the implementation of vaccines be carried out through safe and effective procurement and implementation.

"So Indonesia does not use different standards, uses the same standards as international standards. This is to give confidence that we are not accelerating or implementing the mechanisms and standards ourselves which will then generate perceptions of the safety of the vaccine," he said in a video conference, Tuesday, October 27.

The state treasurer said that vaccines were procured carefully according to WHO standards and the Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ITAGI). The use of international standards is necessary to give confidence to the public.

Sri Mulyani emphasized that the government did not accelerate or implement its own vaccine mechanism and standards. Because, if you do not use international standards, the safety of vaccines will be questioned.

"So, the WHO and ITAGI standard of caution is in order for Indonesia to continue to carry out the vaccination process, including the purchase of vaccines, which now various brands have appeared," he said.

Along with the ongoing vaccine procurement process, said Sri Mulyani, currently the government has also compiled a detailed plan, as well as conducted various simulations in several places for vaccine administration.

The Ministry of Health, said Sri Mulyani, had mentioned three areas for vaccine procurement, namely Bogor, Bali and Ambon. That, too, has been prepared, because the vaccine must be kept at the appropriate temperature treatment, which is below 0 degrees Celsius.

Sri said, the Ministry of Health also ensures that 90 percent of health facilities have met WHO standards in terms of cold storage. However, it still needs to be added to cover all vaccination kits that are safe and comply with international standards.

"We continue to monitor the first brands that have appeared in the international world as well as the red and white vaccine itself which is currently being developed," he explained.

Furthermore, Sri hopes that these steps will make Indonesia a country that continues to follow developments in the supply of vaccines and is one of the first countries to be vaccinated. That way, Indonesia can have an impact on economic confidence and recovery.