Out Of Stock Of The COVID-19 Vaccine, The Governor Of South Sulawesi Sends A Letter To The Ministry Of Health

Acting Governor of South Sulawesi Andi Sudirman Sulaeman. (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The Governor of South Sulawesi Andi Sudirman Sulaeman has sent a letter to the Ministry of Health for the procurement of phase two vaccines because vaccine stocks in the South Sulawesi Health Service warehouse have run out.

"We have written to the Ministry of Health to increase our stock. In fact, we will finish faster than previously estimated targets", he said through his official statement in Makassar, Tuesday.

The central government plans to deliver the COVID-19 Biofarma vaccine totaling 18,880 vials.

Andi Sudirman Sulaiman emphasized that the vaccination in South Sulawesi was not postponed but was still waiting for the second phase of the vaccine from the Indonesian Ministry of Health.

Andi Sudirman admitted that the South Sulawesi Provincial Government has carried out directions from the central government to carry out vaccinations at the initial stage as quickly as possible.

Vaccinations have been carried out for health workers and ASN (State Civil Servants) within the South Sulawesi Provincial Government and district-city governments in South Sulawesi.

"Instead of being stopped, we are in fact the last stage for the second stage, in fact, we have exhausted the existing stock, we just need to continue the second stage of vaccination", he said.

Meanwhile, the Head of Disease Prevention and Control Division of the Health Office of South Sulawesi, Dr. Nurul AR, said that the stock was empty due to a delay in sending the Synovac vaccine from the Ministry of Health, which was scheduled to arrive Monday, April 5, but failed to arrive.

"The latest information on vaccines is ready to be sent today or at the latest tomorrow, so this week it may already be in South Sulawesi", he said.

Vaccination will be carried out again until the vaccine stock from Biofarma arrives.

Data from the Health Office of South Sulawesi on April 5, 2021, shows that vaccination of public officials which is currently taking place has reached 31.88 percent of the total target of 694,477 people or as many as 221,365 people have received the first dose of vaccine. However, recipients of dose II are only 8.55 percent.

Also, the total target for the elderly was 753,303 people, only 15,479 people (2.05 percent) were vaccinated for dose I, while the second vaccination was 0.21 percent or 1,559 people.