Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —
Minister of Health (Menkes), Budi Gunadi Sadikin, revealing the scenario of injecting the third dose or Covid-19 booster vaccine in January 2022 will be divided into two.
The first scenario, he said, was that the Covid-19 booster vaccine for the elderly (elderly) and BPJS Health Contribution Assistance Recipients (PBI) would be financed by the state. According to him, the elderly as a vulnerable group after health workers will receive priority for booster vaccines.
“For next year’s booster vaccination, we will divide two scenarios, for elderly vaccination and PBI [Penerima Bantuan Iuran] non-elderly, it will be borne by the state,” said Budi when attending an online meeting with Commission IX of the DPR RI at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta on Tuesday (14/12).
The second scenario, he continued, the Covid-19 booster vaccine will be given independently or paid for all non-elderly citizens who do not participate in BPJS Health.
The government will open up opportunities for pharmaceutical companies to import vaccines and sell them widely to the public. The general public who have already received two doses are given access to and more options for the booster vaccine.
Budi said this step is expected to create a balance in the market and the public has many choices to access the Covid-19 booster vaccine.
Furthermore, Budi explained, the number of Covid-19 booster vaccines financed by the APBN was 83.1 million, while the number of non-APBN Covid-19 booster vaccines needed was 125.2 million.
“We will give this booster back on a risk basis, namely to the elderly, because everywhere in the world this booster is distributed on a risk basis, after health care. [tenaga kesehatan] it is given to the elderly,” said Budi.
The injection of the Covid-19 booster vaccine is carried out at every health facility (faskes), except for the Puskesmas and KKP which will focus on pursuing injections of the first and second doses of the Covid-19 vaccine.
“The price of the upper limit of the products and services of the non-APBN booster vaccine will be determined by the government,” he added.
Previously, the government decided to inject the Covid-19 vaccine for free for 181.5 million people. The decision was taken to resolve the health crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The target was later increased to more than 200 million people after vaccination was extended to adolescents and children. The government targets the injection to be completed by the end of 2021.
(mts/DAL)
– .
