Today, Sunday (11/07/2021), 3 million doses of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine arrived in finished form, via Soekarno Hatta Airport, Tangerang, Banten. This vaccine is cooperation support from the Government of the United States (US) with a dose-sharing scheme or sharing vaccine doses.
“Alhamdulillah, today Indonesia has received 3,000,060 doses of Moderna vaccine, international cooperation support from the United States Government through the COVAX Facility multilateral channel. This is the first shipment of the Moderna vaccine from the United States Government," said Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi in a press statement welcoming the arrival of the vaccine, Sunday (11/07/2021) virtually.
The Indonesian Foreign Minister added that based on the results of communication with the US Government, including the US Foreign Minister and the US National Security Adviser, the country is committed to providing 4,500,160 doses of vaccine to Indonesia through a dose-sharing scheme. Through the United States Ambassador to Indonesia Sung Yong Kim, Retno also expressed her appreciation and gratitude from the Indonesian Government to the US Government for the support.
"On behalf of the Government of Indonesia, I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to the United States Government for sharing doses to Indonesia through the COVAX Facility," he added.
On this occasion, the Indonesian Foreign Minister also thanked other parties involved, namely the COVAX Facility, WHO, Gavi, CEPI, and UNICEF.
Furthermore, Retno explained that the dose-sharing scheme is part of a multilateral mechanism to ensure equal access to vaccines for all countries. This, he added, was continuously discussed in every COVAX Facility meeting.
"Indonesia has consistently supported the dose-sharing mechanism, in order to accelerate the achievement of the principle of equal access to vaccines for all countries," he said.
With the arrival of the Moderna vaccine, today said the Indonesian Foreign Minister, Indonesia has secured as many as 122,735,260 million doses of vaccine, both in finished form and raw materials. The details are 108.5 million doses of Sinovac vaccine, mostly in the form of raw materials; AstraZeneca in the form of a ready-made vaccine obtained from the COVAX Facility with 8,236,800 doses and 998,400 doses of bilateral dose-sharing support from the Government of Japan; Sinopharm 2 million doses of the finished vaccine, including 500 thousand doses supported by the United Arab Emirates Government; and Moderna through the US Government's dose-sharing support through the COVAX Facility as many as 3,000,060 doses of the finished vaccine.
For information, this mRNA-based Moderna vaccine has received an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency on July 2, 2021. The Moderna vaccine was sent through the COVAX Facility, which is clear evidence that the government continues to strive to deliver a COVID-19 vaccine to meet vaccine needs in Indonesia.
The Indonesian Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin appreciated the support from the people and the United States Government who were willing to help Indonesia's vaccination program by sending the Moderna vaccine.
It is planned that the vaccine will not only be used for the first and second injections for the Indonesian people but will also be used specifically for the third booster injection for Indonesian health workers.
"Health workers are under tremendous pressure, especially in the second wave of transmission of this pandemic, so we want to make sure they are protected to the maximum," said the Minister of Health.
The vaccination program in Indonesia has been running quite fast lately. The latest data has penetrated 50 million injections.
The first 10 million injections were achieved within 8 weeks, the next 10 million were achieved in 4 weeks, and the last 10 million were achieved in 12 days.
The total availability of the vaccine is more than 100 million doses.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi said that today Indonesia has received 3,000,060 doses of Moderna vaccine as a result of international cooperation from the United States government through the COVAX Facility multilateral channel.
“This is the first phase of delivery of a modern vaccine from the United States government. This mRNA-based Moderna vaccine has received Emergency Use Authorization from the POM on July 2, 2021," said Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi in a virtual conference, Sunday (11/7).
The United States is committed to providing vaccine sharing doses to Indonesia totaling 4,500,160 doses which will be delivered in stages. The vaccine dose sharing mechanism is part of a multilateral mechanism to ensure equal access to vaccines for all countries.
Indonesia has consistently supported the dose-sharing mechanism to accelerate the achievement of the principle of equal access to vaccines for all countries.
With the arrival of Moderna's vaccine today, Indonesia has secured 122,735,260 doses of vaccines, both in the form of bulk vaccines and ready-made vaccines.
"Now Indonesia has also received offers of support from several countries, including Japan to send the second phase of the AstraZeneca vaccine, then similar offers came from the Netherlands, Britain, Australia and the United Arab Emirates," said the Foreign Minister.
Millions of vaccines from commercial procurement channels as well as from international and bilateral support will arrive this July. The government will continue to work hard to ensure the availability of vaccines for Indonesia.
Not only vaccines, but various supports have also come from neighboring countries to help meet the needs of ventilators, oxygen, medicines, and medical equipment in Indonesia.
"We have received various offers of support from other friendly countries, namely in the form of ventilators, oxygen concentrators, medicines and other medical equipment. Last Friday, support from Singapore and Australia arrived, support from Singapore by sea has departed from Singapore and according to the plan, it will arrive at Tanjung Priok port on July 14, including oxygen concentrators and oxygen cylinders," said the Foreign Minister.
Corona Virus Hotline 119 ext 9. This news was broadcast by the Bureau of Communications and Public Services, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia. For further information, please contact the Halo Ministry of Health hotline number via hotline 1500-567, SMS 081281562620, facsimile (021) 5223002, 52921669, and email address contact@kemkes.go.id (D2)
Also present at the joint press statement was Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, United States Ambassador to Indonesia Sung Yong Kim, Robert Gass from UNICEF Indonesia, and Paranie from WHO Indonesia.