Erick Thohir Encourages Bio Farma To Double The Current Capacity For Vaccine Production

SOE Minister Erick Thohir during a review of Bio Farma in Bandung, West Java. (photo: ANTARA/HO-Ministry of SOEs)

JAKARTA - In an effort to meet the need for ready-to-use vaccine doses and to accelerate the national vaccination program, SOE Minister Erick Thohir instructed PT Bio Farma (Persero) to double the production of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Erick also supports Biofarma's efforts to increase daily vaccine production in the midst of this Emergency PPKM. Biofarma, which now produces an average dose of COVID-19 vaccine every month, reaching 12 million doses, even now reaching more than 20 million doses per month, continues to be pushed to double its production.

"From the latest data, we have received 105.5 million vaccine raw materials, equivalent to 85 million doses of ready-made vaccines and 14.2 million vaccines that are ready to be made. From this amount, I checked with Biofarma, how many have been distributed throughout Indonesia. In the midst of this increasing pandemic situation, I support that production is increased as much as possible so that the spread of vaccines is faster, especially for provinces with red zone status," Erick said in a written statement received in Jakarta, Saturday, July 10.

The Minister of SOEs wants to ensure a smooth final process for COVID-19 vaccines, both in the form of raw materials (bulk) and finished vaccines, which have been imported from a number of countries. Until July 1, Indonesia has received 19 vaccines, either imported directly from producing countries or through the COVAX Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization (GAVI) multilateral channel.

The number of deaths from COVID-19 continues to increase every day and reached the death toll of 1,040 on July 7. So accelerated vaccination is the key to saving many lives.

Based on the data displayed on the Biofarma distribution dashboard today, of the delivery target of 73,730,600 doses, 62,538,900 doses have been sent throughout Indonesia through 883 delivery orders (DO).

Currently, there are 16.5 million doses of allocation that are still in the process of releasing lots from the POM Agency. Especially in the three provinces on the island of Java, which recently saw an increase in the number of positive COVID-19 patients, namely West Java, Central Java, and East Java, the number of vaccines sent has exceeded the planned allocation.

"In order to flood the provinces that are still in red zone status, I ask Biofarma to also accelerate distribution. Vaccination is still one of the main antidotes in the midst of this pandemic," said Erick Thohir.

He also added that the Ministry of SOEs and state-owned companies will continue to strive for acceleration and availability of everything that the community needs during Emergency PPKM. One of them is providing therapeutic drugs for COVID-19 healing at Kimia Farma Pharmacy.

Since the Emergency PPKM was implemented on July 2, the Ministry of BUMN has taken anticipatory steps by checking the operations of BUMN companies that are close to the needs of the people. Starting from the availability of ivermectin as a COVID-19 therapeutic drug, smooth electricity supply, oxygen supply for hospitals and health centers