Nasdem Suggests There Is A Paid Independent COVID-19 Vaccine For The Rich

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JAKARTA - Chairman of the DPR's NasDem Party Faction, Ahmad M. Ali, asked the government to create an independent COVID-19 vaccination scheme that is paid for by the private sector.

According to Ahmad, this standalone vaccine scheme is outside the government's free vaccination program. Independent vaccines can be aimed at residents who have the ability to pay with their own pockets.

"The NasDem Party faction encourages the Government to open an independent vaccination scheme where all their needs are fulfilled independently by the citizens. This independent vaccination is especially called for for those with more financial capacity," said Ahmad in his statement, Tuesday, January 12.

Ahmad assessed that the government needs to make regulations or provide a legal umbrella so that this independent vaccination practice does not violate applicable regulations.

"This is important so that the national vaccination process can run simultaneously so that the target population that is vaccinated can be met more quickly," he said.

There is also a proposal for a paid vaccine scheme based on the government's calculation of the vaccination process. Until April 2021, the number of vaccinated people has only reached 49.5 million.

Meanwhile, continued Ahmad, Indonesia needs speed to achieve a herd immunity situation, with at least 180 million people having to be vaccinated from the 250 million population of Indonesia.

"Therefore, there must be alternative steps so that the national vaccination process does not run linearly. Simultaneous steps need to be formulated so that the national immunity target does not take too long," he explained.

For information, the Food and Drug Administration (BPOM) has issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for the COVID-19 vaccine produced by Sinovac.

The provision of EUA Sinovac strengthens the government's confidence in starting vaccinations. Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin confirmed that the government will carry out the COVID-19 vaccination on Wednesday, January 13. President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) will receive the first vaccine.

"Regarding vaccination, God willing, our ladies and gentlemen will start on Wednesday and will be started by the President," Budi said as quoted from a press statement broadcast on the YouTube account of the Presidential Secretariat.

Apart from the matter of implementing the initial vaccination, Budi also explained that the government will receive millions of vaccine raw materials from Sinovac. This raw material will come on Tuesday, January 12 or today.

"This raw material will be processed by Bio Farma within a month so that in early February we already have a finished vaccine and 15 million vaccine ingredients," he said.

Not only that, Budi also explained that Indonesia would receive free vaccines from Gavi. "At least 54 million doses, maximum 108 million and the good news can come sooner. Either, at the end of February or in early March," he explained.

"And the vaccines from Gavi are Pfizer, AstraZeneca, and Moderna which have obtained approval from their home country and another one from Novavax. We are currently discussing what type we want to take because this vaccine can be given over the age of 60," he added. this former Deputy Minister of BUMN.