Mr. Jokowi! Please Vaccine Stocks Are Depleted Everywhere

President Jokowi (Photo by BPMI Setpres)

BANDA ACEH - Vaccine stocks in a number of areas are empty or run out. Even though President Jokowi said more than one hundred million doses of vaccine were received by Indonesia.

Head of the Aceh Besar Health Service (Dinkes) Anita stated that the stock of vaccines in her area was running low, currently there are only doses left for the second injection, while the first dose is no longer available.

"Yesterday's vaccine stock was empty with us. It was empty for the first injection, but we have stock for the second dose," said Anita, quoted by Antara, Friday, July 30.

He said the dose prepared for the second injection could not be given to people who were new to the first dose, because it was feared that it would not be able to meet the needs of those undergoing the second vaccine.

Anita said that the first phase of vaccine vacancies occurred in all health centers and hospitals in Aceh Besar. Therefore, for people who want to take the first vaccine, they have to wait for the new dose to arrive.

"At the puskesmas we will hold it for the first dose, wait for the new vaccine. Later when we give it to the first, there will be no more vaccine for people who arrive for the second dose," he said.

Kadinkes cannot say how many exact doses of the second dose of vaccine are currently remaining, this is because the injection process is still ongoing, and continues to decrease.

"I don't know exactly how many left. Because every day there are injections and it keeps decreasing. Yesterday's and today's data can't be counted," he said.

Regarding this shortage, Anita said, her party has discussed it with the Aceh Government, in this case the Aceh Regional Secretary Taqwallah and the Aceh Health Service Head, Dr. Hanif. During the conversation it was said that the vaccine dose would be received again soon.

"We have sat down, and temporarily stop the first dose of vaccine, pending the arrival of the next dose of vaccine," said Anita.

Semarang Stop Vaccines

The Semarang City Government, Central Java, was forced to close a number of vaccination centers following the depletion of the COVID-19 vaccine supply.

The Mayor of Semarang, Hendrar Prihadi, said that the supply of vaccines for the capital city of Central Java had not yet arrived.

The mayor, who is familiarly called Hendi, did not know for certain the cause of the delay in the supply of this vaccine.

"I don't understand where the problem is, because the President stated that the national vaccine stock is still very large," said Hendi, quoted by Antara, Friday, July 30.

However, he said, the Semarang City Government continues to build communication with the Central Java Provincial Government to obtain additional vaccine supplies, considering the city's needs are quite large.

"We have just received information to formulate needs for the next week, but there is no certainty when the vaccine will come," he said.

Rewards Complain about Vaccine Stock

Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo said the implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination in Central Java was constrained by the stock of vaccines provided by the central government.

"We are actually ready, our infrastructure is not lacking, we just have to wait for the vaccine, and thank God the attention from the Minister of Health is already there, we added it, even the president called me directly for this acceleration," said Ganjar Pranowo in Semarang quoted by Antara, Tuesday, July 27 .

Ganjar said that Central Java province would receive an additional 700,000 doses of vaccine from the Ministry of Health this week.

"Yesterday, we received 270 thousand vials of Astrazeneca and 500 thousand vials of Sinovac. That means about 700 thousand more, this is how we speed things up," he said.

Ganjar admitted to requesting additional vaccines from the Ministry of Health every week as many as 2.4 million doses of vaccine. It is ready to accelerate the COVID-19 vaccination.

"I still want 2.4 million (vaccine doses) every week, and we are ready," he said.

According to Ganjar, the enthusiasm of the people of Central Java to participate in the COVID-19 Vaccination Program is very high, so he is optimistic that he can accelerate vaccination.

"If I see the enthusiasm of the community to be vaccinated, it is good in Central Java. So I found this in almost all the places I visited during our visit in a complete of 35 districts/cities," he said.

Jokowi's orders

Meanwhile, President Jokowi is in the virtual emergency PPKM evaluation process on Friday, July 16. Jokowi also mentioned about vaccination. He wants the vaccination stock to be depleted as soon as possible to achieve herd immunity.

"I ask the minister of health to convey it to the lowest organization, there is no vaccine (hold) stock, send it, send it and spend it. Because we want to pursue a vaccine as soon as possible and it is proven that 2 or 3 days ago we can inject 2.3 million (dose), I am sure that 5 million can be done, "said Jokowi.

"Once again, there is no need for stock, the only stock available is at Bio Farrma, the others are quickly finished, so there is speed, because one of the keys to solving this problem is the speed of vaccination, according to the WHO Director General," added Jokowi.