Relying On 3 Imported Vaccines, Bio Farma Is Optimistic To Fulfill 426.8 Million Doses

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JAKARTA - President Director of PT Bio Farma, Honesti Basyir, claims to have secured most of the vaccine doses from the need for national vaccination. As is well known, Bio Farma is the vaccine distribution coordinator for Indonesia.

"Vaccination to reach 70 percent herd immunity totals 426.8 million doses. And we have made contracts, both with the finished vaccine contract with Sinovac and the purchase of raw materials and several other vaccine developers such as Novavax, AstraZeneca. We have reached 329.5 million dose", said Honesti during a joint hearing with Commission VI of the House of Representatives (DPR), Monday, March 29.

He also mentioned that Indonesia was included in the top 10 countries with the leading acceleration of vaccination. Whereas of Saturday, March 27, 10.4 million doses of vaccine had been given to the public.

"Of course it is supported by the readiness of our own supply because we have also collaborated with vaccine developers", he said.

Indonesia, he continued, also conducts clinical trials in the country in collaboration with related stakeholders. Including National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) which provides emergency use and also the Ministry of Health supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs etc.

Honesti said that Indonesia's position was better in carrying out vaccinations than European countries and would continue to be maintained and improved by looking at the development of the virus mutation itself.

"So the speed is very decisive here. How can Indonesia get herd immunity in less than 15 months? We hope it will be faster", he said.

Then, continued Honesti, from the development of the COVID-19 pandemic since yesterday there were 1.49 million confirmed positives, but if you look at it from time to time this figure has started to decline.

"The positive rate is also below double digits, of course, this is also an achievement for us. We remain vigilant about how we can maintain the decline rate. And one key is how the vaccinations we give", he said.

Honesti explained that as of Sunday, March 28, there had been 7.2 million first-stage vaccinations that had been given and 3.2 million second-stage vaccinations had been injected.

"We will continue this. Because vaccines depend on supply readiness there are also options to increase the supply, so we are optimistic that we can fulfill 426.8 million doses", he explained.

Meanwhile, Honesti added that for the government's vaccine program from the Ministry of Health, several types of vaccines have been approved. The largest Sinovac vaccine runs until April, where 3 million doses have been given the first stage for health workers.

"We have also done the second priority at health facilities, health centers, and mass vaccination centers. Then Novavax will enter 52 million doses. In the third stage, we will immediately get EUA permission from the local BPOM", he explained.

For AstraZeneca, said Honesti, there are two mechanisms. One of the characteristics is a donation or free from COVAC, which was received in early March, about 1.1 million doses of a total of 54 million doses that will be supplied to Indonesia. Likewise, the nature of B to B in this case Bio Farma as a government proxy for 50 million doses.

"Of course, they will immediately enter in the second quarter (Q2). These are the three vaccines that will mostly be part of the government's vaccination program from 2021 to the first quarter of 2022", said Honesti.