Ministry Of Health: Vaccination Of 225 Thousand Persons With Disabilities Completed In October

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION/ANTARA

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health targets that the COVID-19 vaccination for 225,000 people with disabilities in Java-Bali can be completed in October 2021.

"The government is focusing on accelerating the implementation of vaccinations for people with disabilities in six provinces, namely Banten, West Java, Central Java, DI Yogyakarta, East Java, and Bali," said Head of the Ministry of Health's Communication and Public Service Bureau, Widyawati, as quoted by Antara, Saturday, August 14.

Widyawati said vaccinations for people with disabilities used the Sinopharm vaccine which was obtained through a grant mechanism from the King of the United Arab Emirates as many as 450 thousand doses.

"Vaccinations are given through health care facilities and COVID-19 vaccination centers," he said.

In its implementation, said Widyawati, the Ministry of Health cooperates with the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs for data collection and registration of the Population Identification Number (NIK) from the disability target group.

The disability group is included in the third stage target, namely the vulnerable community. Overall, there are 562,242 vaccination targets for groups of people with disabilities throughout Indonesia.

Previously, the Ministry of Health had issued a circular stating that persons with disabilities could be served in any health facility/vaccination center and not limited to the domicile address of the ID card.

This provision is stated in the Circular Letter of the Minister of Health No. HK.02.01/MENKES/598/2021 Regarding the Acceleration of the Implementation of COVID-19 Vaccination for the Elderly, People with Disabilities, as well as Educators, and Education Personnel.

"Of course, vaccination activities run in collaboration with communities, local organizations, and the private sector to mobilize the elderly and people with disabilities, register, and arrange shuttle transportation for the elderly and people with disabilities to health care facilities where the COVID-19 vaccination service is located," he said.

The Ministry of Health has also issued Circular Letter number HK.02.02/III/15242/2021 regarding the Implementation of COVID-19 Vaccination for Vulnerable Communities and Other Communities Who Do not Have a Population Identification Number. The Circular is addressed to all heads of provincial, district, and city health offices.

"The spirit that we want to maintain here is that all Indonesian people are protected from exposure to COVID-19," he said.