Deputy Governor Riza Concerned Proposed Free Vaccination For Foreigners Asylum Seekers: For Humanity

Deputy Governor of DKI Riza Patria/DOK VOI-Diah Ayu

JAKARTA - Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta Ahmad Riza Patria explained the reason why DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan proposed free vaccination for foreign citizens (foreigners) seeking asylum in Jakarta.

The request for this permit was sent to the Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin. Riza said the implementation of vaccination for foreign asylum seekers was carried out for humanitarian reasons.

"Indeed, this is a humanitarian matter. So, we do not differentiate between religion, ethnicity, and local customs. Jakarta serves all the people. In fact, we serve foreigners well," said Riza at DKI City Hall, Central Jakarta, Tuesday, August 10.

Riza said, currently DKI is still waiting for a letter from the Minister of Health Budi regarding the approval of vaccination for asylum seekers. In principle, he said, DKI Jakarta provides services to all citizens and residents, not only Jakarta residents but also residents who have non-DKI ID cards, even foreigners.

To date, DKI has also vaccinated 8,507,635 residents at the first dose. Meanwhile, the second dose reached 3,532,656. however, no less than 40 percent of those vaccinated are residents outside Jakarta.

It is known, Anies suggested that foreign asylum seekers in Jakarta could participate in getting the COVID-19 vaccination. In the letter, Anies views that foreign asylum seekers cannot participate in the paid Mutual Cooperation (VGR) Vaccination program. Therefore, Anies asked these foreign refugees to be vaccinated for free.

"Based on the results of the evaluation of the vaccination implementation in DKI Jakarta, there are foreigners who are vulnerable to COVID-19 transmission and it is not possible to use VGR, namely foreigners who are refugees and asylum seekers," Anies said in the letter.

Anies explained that these asylum seekers live and work with other Indonesian citizens. They have relatively difficulty implementing strict health protocols and self-isolation. So, they also need protection.

He said that vaccination for asylum seekers had been proposed by the international agency United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to the Health Service on March 17, 2021.

However, the proposal from UNHCR is only limited to asylum seekers who meet the elderly criteria and have coorbids.

"With the implementation of vaccination for all groups of people aged 12 years and over, we propose that vaccinations for refugees and asylum seekers can also be given to all outside the segment proposed by UNHCR," said Anies.