1.53 Million Doses Of COVID-19 Vaccine Potentially Expires This Month

JAKARTA - President Director of PT Bio Farma Honesti Basyir revealed that 1.53 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have the potential to expire this month. The details are 1.09 million AstraZeneca vaccines and 436,000 doses of Moderna vaccines.

This was stated by Basyir in a hearing (RDP) held by Commission IX of the DPR.

"If we look at the status in April, there will be a potential of 1.53 million doses, it will potentially expire in April 2022," Honesti said on Wednesday, April 6.

Honesti revealed, until March 25, 2022, in total Indonesia had received 436 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine from various brands.

Of this amount, 308.9 million doses of vaccine were imported through the B to B financing scheme and 125.7 million doses of vaccine were imported from the GAVI Covax Facility grant.

"Of the 434.6 doses we have distributed to all parts of Indonesia in accordance with orders from the Ministry of Health of 361.4 million doses. So, now the stock at Bio Farma is 73.25 million doses," said Honesti.

Of all the vaccines in Indonesia, Honesti said there were 19.32 million doses of vaccine that had expired as of the end of March 2022. In details, 18.68 million came from grants and 0.64 million from the B to B scheme.

Meanwhile, Head of the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) Penny K. Lukito explained that his party was extending the expiration date of a number of COVID-19 vaccines.

However, Penny ensured that the extension of the shelf life or shelf life of the expired COVID-19 vaccine had met the requirements of the stability test.

This stability test is carried out by the manufacturer of an emergency use permit for certain vaccines. After the stability test data is declared sufficient, the BPOM determines the extension of the vaccine shelf life.

"In essence, the extension of the shelf life has guarantees related to the quality and safety and efficacy aspects. BPOM also routinely provides assistance and continuous inspection of the quality of the COVID-19 vaccine," said Penny.