Reducing Import Dependence, Vice President Ma'ruf Amin Supports Domestic Vaccines

Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia Ma'ruf Amin. (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA – The government supports the development of domestically made vaccines. This was conveyed by Vice President Ma'ruf Amin through a video conference from the vice president's official residence in Jakarta.

"The government also continues to encourage the development of national vaccines so that they don't just rely on imported vaccines," said Vice President Ma'ruf quoting Antara, Saturday, August 28.

Ma'ruf Amin said that there are currently two kinds of domestically-made COVID-19 vaccines, namely the Nusantara Vaccine and the Merah Putih Vaccine. The government is now setting a target to immediately produce domestic vaccines and medicines for handling COVID-19.

"The government targets that in the future, we will be able to produce COVID-19 vaccines and other medicines for the nation's independence in the field of public health," said Ma'ruf Amin.

Vaccination is one of the government's priorities in handling the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to implementing health protocols.

The government wants to establish communal immunity or herd immunity by vaccinating against COVID-19 for at least 70 percent of the total population of Indonesia.

The implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination also aims to reduce the transmission of active cases and reduce the death rate due to COVID-19.

“Vaccination is also targeted to be able to achieve group immunity in the community, herd immunity; and at the same time protecting the community from COVID-19 so that they remain socially and economically productive," said the Vice President.

So far, as an effort to stop the COVID-19 pandemic, the government has collaborated with various countries to produce COVID-19 vaccines for the people of Indonesia.

As of Friday, August 27, Indonesia has received 208.7 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, while 123,256,044 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been distributed to 34 provinces.