Indonesia Highlights: Indonesia Signs Request Form to Access Up To 108 Million Doses of Covid-19 Vaccine | Indonesian Ulema Council to Discuss Covid-19 Vaccine Halal Aspects Friday | Master Kidz Indon

KOMPAS.com – As Indonesia will start its mass inoculation program next week, the government has done some efforts to ensure the availability of the Covid-19 vaccine in the country.

This includes the signing of a request form to the GAVI-coordinated Covid-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) facility to gain access to free vaccines up to 108 million doses.

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said that hopefully, Indonesia will have enough vaccines for its 181 million citizens that are prioritized to receive the Covid-19 jab.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) will hold its plenary session to discuss the halal compliance aspects of China’s Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine on Friday.

Below are excerpts from the stories in Indonesia, curated by Kompas.com editors:

1. Indonesia Signs Request Form to Access Up To 108 Million Doses of Covid-19 Vaccine

Kompas.COM/MUHAMMAD NAUFAL A photo of Covid-19 vaccine.

Indonesia’s Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin and Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati have signed a request form to access free vaccine from the GAVI-coordinated Covid-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) facility on Thursday, January 7.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the signing of the request form to GAVI-coordinated COVAX facility is one of the important accomplishments for Indonesia to gain access to a maximum of 108 million free doses of vaccine from GAVI [the Vaccine Alliance],” said Health Minister Budi in a televised statement on Thursday.

He expressed appreciation for the opportunity to gain access to the free Covid-19 vaccine from GAVI. The government will not pay for obtaining the vaccine. “We are grateful for the free vaccine from GAVI. Indonesia does not have to pay for the vaccine,” Budi said.

He went on to say that several parties have committed to providing Indonesia with the Covid-19 vaccine. China’s Sinovac Biotech Ltd will provide 125 million doses of vaccine, 50 million doses of vaccine from AstraZeneca and Novavax, respectively. This means that Indonesia will be receiving a total of 225 million doses of vaccine.

“With the prospective vaccine from Pfizer and prospective 108 million doses of vaccine from GAVI, InsyaAllah [God willing], there will be enough vaccines for 181 million Indonesians,” Budi said.

Source: https://go.kompas.com/read/2021/01/07/201709674/indonesia-signs-request-form-to-access-up-to-108-million-doses-of-free-covid-19