Indonesia Will Receive 3 Million Doses Of Moderna Vaccine From The United States

Vaksin Moderna. (Wikimedia Commons / Airman 1st Class Anna Nolte ft. Zacharie Grossen)

JAKARTA - Indonesian Foreign Minister, Retno Marsudi, said Indonesia would receive several COVID-19 vaccine assistance from several friendly countries, as well as exploring cooperation related to therapeutic drugs.

This was conveyed by Foreign Minister Retno in her statement after conducting a series of bilateral talks at the G20 Meeting in Italy, as well as a working visit to the Netherlands.

"One of the concrete results of my conversation with the new Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sigrid Kaag, is the decision of the Dutch government to assist COVID-19 vaccine to Indonesia in the amount of 3 million doses of the finished vaccine", said Foreign Minister Retno in a virtual press statement Thursday evening, July 1 after meeting Queen Maxima of the Netherlands and Prime Minister Mark Rutte in The Hague, Netherlands.

Meanwhile, in a meeting with the United States Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antony Blinken, Foreign Minister Retno received a commitment to assist with three million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine from Moderna.

"The provision of emergency use authorization is currently being processed by BPOM, and for information tomorrow I will receive a call from the US National Security Adviser, Jake Sullivan", said Foreign Minister Retno.

In addition to the two countries, Foreign Minister Retno said that Indonesia would also receive assistance for a COVID-19 vaccine from the UK, after a meeting with British Foreign Minister Dominic Raab, whose delivery details and schedule will be discussed further.

"As for Japan, the first shipment of the finished vaccine has arrived in Jakarta today, amounting to 998,400 doses. The second shipment according to the plan, information from Japan, will follow later in the not too distant future", she explained. The plan is Japan will provide as many as 2 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

In addition to the COVID-19 vaccine, Foreign Minister Retno discussed cooperation related to therapeutic drugs currently needed by Indonesia. She said this discussion was carried out with the Dutch Foreign Minister and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar

"From my meeting with the Indian Foreign Minister, he promised to help Indonesia. The Minister of Health's team continues to coordinate and we are also coordinating with our representatives in India regarding this request", she concluded.