Minister Of Home Affairs Asks Regional Heads To Innovate To Increase Vaccination

Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian/Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - Minister of Home Affairs, Muhammad Tito Karnavian, encourages regional heads to make breakthroughs and creative innovations in increasing the rate of COVID-19 vaccination.

Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian reminded regional heads not to be careless, especially since the Indonesian people are facing the Omicron variant in the midst of the current situation.

"There needs to be a creative breakthrough to accelerate vaccination. Learn from the experiences of other regions that have been successful", said the Minister of Home Affairs in a statement received in Jakarta Thursday, February 3.

The Minister of Home Affairs explained that there are several strategies implemented by local governments in increasing the rate of vaccination. First, local governments implement government administration-based vaccinations, such as what the Government of Bali has done through villages and DKI Jakarta through the neighborhood association (RW).

Second, local governments build vaccination centers, such as in the field, malls, communities, and so on that can be accessed by the public. Third, vaccination is carried out on a car-based basis, namely actively visiting the community.

This method, he said, is usually applied to areas that are difficult to reach or people are reluctant to go to vaccination centers.

Fourth, vaccination is carried out from the house to house by targeting the elderly. This proactive effort is important because they are a vulnerable group to the threat of COVID-19.

According to the Minister of Home Affairs, among these strategies, there are also local governments that have made various other creative breakthroughs. This step, for example by providing necessities, social assistance, to providing doorprizes for people who are willing to take part in vaccinations.

He appreciated the various breakthroughs made by the local government in increasing the rate of vaccination.

The Minister of Home Affairs is grateful that although it is not a vaccine-producing country, Indonesia's vaccination needs are relatively met. He appreciated the various parties involved in procuring the vaccination.

Therefore, local governments need to support by accelerating in the injection of vaccines to the public so that the availability of vaccines can be utilized.

The Minister of Home Affairs hopes that with various efforts to increase the rate of vaccination, the formation of immunity in the community will be realized more quickly. Thus, the presence of Omicron variants can be handled.

The Minister of Home Affairs asked regional heads to continue campaigning for the implementation of health protocols, especially wearing masks to the public. Not only that, regional governments need to prepare for the worst scenario in the event of a spike in pandemic cases.

For example, he said, by preparing health facilities, both facilities, and infrastructure, including the availability of medicines and health workers. That way, the handling of spikes in cases can be better prepared.