Day: September 14, 2021

Vice President Ma’ruf Amin has pushed for multi-stakeholder collaboration from the government, academics, business actors, communities, and the mass media in a bid to accelerate COVID-19 vaccination in Indonesia.

“I welcome and laud the pentahelix collaboration that has been built, especially support from donors and sponsors, so that this vaccination program can be implemented,” Amin remarked while reviewing the Healthy Synergy Vaccination Center at The Media Hotel and Tower Jakarta here on Tuesday.

The government has encouraged various parties to support efforts to expedite COVID-19 vaccination, so that national herd immunity in Indonesia can be realized immediately.

Based on the Health Ministry’s data as of September 13, 2021, the number of COVID-19 vaccinations in DKI Jakarta was high. A total of 10.3 million people in DKI Jakarta received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, while 7.1 million of them were administered the second dose.

To increase the number of vaccinations, the government continues to expedite the delivery of the COVID-19 vaccine to members of the public.

The Healthy Synergy Vaccination Center is organized by alumni of the University of Indonesia students (Iluni UI) along with the Indonesian Vertical Hospital Association, BAKTI Kominfo, and Media Group, with two thousand people being the daily target from July 22 to September 17.

The hospitals involved in the vaccination activity were Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Fatmawati Hospital, Sulianti Saroso Hospital, PON Hospital, Soeharto Herdjaan Hospital, Jakarta Drug Dependence Hospital, Persahabatan Hospital, Harapan Kita Heart Center Hospital, Harapan Kita Children & Mother Hospital, and Dharmais Cancer Hospital.

The Healthy Synergy Vaccination Center opens vaccination services for children 12 years and above, elderly, pregnant women, and breastfeeding mothers. Sinovac, AstraZeneca, and Moderna vaccines are being administered in these activities.

Source: Antara News

Vaccination rates were among the key prerequisites for easing restrictions on community activities (PPKM) enforced in regions, according to Vice President Ma’ruf Amin.

“Vaccination rates are principal to determining the PPKM level in one region to ensure the residents’ immunity despite the COVID-19 disease not being completely eradicated,” Vice President Amin remarked while observing a vaccination drive at The Media Hotel and Tower in Central Jakarta, Tuesday.

The vice president emphasized that a minimum 50-percent vaccination coverage was the main criteria to improve the PPKM status in regions at level 3 to level 2. A minimum vaccination coverage of 70 percent is required to further improve the PPKM status, from level 2 to level 1, he added.

“A region currently placed at PPKM level 3 should reach a 50-percent vaccine coverage as a precondition for level 2 PPKM. Further improvement to level 1 PPKM requires a 70-percent vaccine coverage in the region,” Amin noted.

Earlier, coordinator for the implementation of PPKM in the Java-Bali Regions Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan declared that the government will consider vaccination coverage as a prerequisite for improvements to the PPKM status in regions.

“We have set a minimum of 50 percent first vaccine dosage recipients and 40 percent of vaccination coverage among elderly as an additional criteria for improving the PPKM status, from level 3 to level 2,” Pandjaitan stated on Monday (Sept 13).

Regional authorities are given a two-week deadline to achieve the required target for PPKM level improvement in their region, he noted.

“If regional governments failed to achieve (the target in two weeks), they are risking the PPKM level in their region not improving from level 3,” the coordinator cautioned.

Source: Antara News

Epidemiologist at the Gadjah Mada University (UGM) Dr Riris Andono Ahmad urged the public to remain vigilant and continue to apply strict health protocols despite a decline in the number of COVID-19 cases.

“Since the number of cases continue to decline, the public is advised not to become negligent, as there is always a likelihood of the number of cases rising again,” Ahmad noted in a written statement here on Tuesday.

The number of COVID-19 cases as of Monday increased by 2,577, the lowest figure since July 2021. However, the public is advised to still exercise caution.

Ahmad noted that the number of COVID-19 cases had steadily declined as the government continued to consistently impose restrictions on community activities (PPKM).

A decline in the number of COVID-19 cases is also the positive outcome of the implementation of PPKM policies and the vaccination program being steadily pursued by the government. The two policies will be maximized if the community remains disciplined in implementing health protocols. “The PPKM does focus on regulating community mobility. Now, it is just a matter of how the mobility regulation is tightened according to the PPKM level applied in each region,” he stated.

Rules in implementing the protocols must be enforced to accelerate the decline in COVID-19 cases. “If (people) violate it, they must be subject to fines or sanctions, while people, who are disciplined, must also be commended,” he noted.

The government has decided to extend PPKM again until September 20, 2021. Head of the PPKM Task Force for Java-Bali Islands, Luhut Pandjaitan, spoke of the government continuing to enforce PPKM on Java and Bali islands as well as other areas of the island, with weekly evaluations conducted.

“The president has called on us to not end this PPKM until the number of COVID-19 cases is brought under control,” he stated.

He also appealed to people in areas, with declining cases, to continue to implement strict health protocols so as not to trigger an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases.

Source: Antara News

The Surabaya city government expressed its readiness to conduct mass vaccinations at several local tourist attractions in order to achieve herd immunity in the city.

The high level of enthusiasm among members of the community to partake in vaccination at the Surabaya Zoo (KBS) on Sept 13, prompted his administration to conduct vaccinations at other tourist attractions.

“Actually, we also want to do the same at other places,” Surabaya Mayor Eri Cahyadi stated.

The mayor will select a location with wide open spaces for better air circulation and to prevent crowding.

“Later, we will attempt to do the same at other tourist attractions, such as Kenjeran. Maybe, they will have a tent to make it comfortable for vaccine recipients,” he remarked.

In addition to tourist attractions, mass vaccinations will simultaneously be conducted at 130 urban villages. On September 13, the vaccinations were also conducted across 165 locations.

“Moreover, some 22 vaccine cars from the Surabaya city police are available, and we will also target door-to-door vaccination,” he noted. Mayor Cahyadi is optimistic about the number of vaccination centers in the city rising to expedite the realization of vaccination targets in Surabaya. Moreover, the Indonesian Military (TNI) and National Police (Polri), apart from the Surabaya Health Service, are offering support to the health workers and vaccinators in Surabaya.

“Greater the number of health workers, the more the vaccine cars we run now. Thus, we can accelerate to achieve 100-percent vaccination. Currently, it is 98 percent for the first dose, and 65 percent for the second dose,” he stated.

In addition, his side is optimistic that herd immunity in the agglomeration areas of Surabaya, Gresik, and Sidoarjo would be achieved soon, as communities in these three areas are interconnected and cannot be separated.

“This vaccination target in agglomeration areas can be achieved as well, so that Surabaya can move to level 1 or the green zone,” he added.

Source: Antara News

At least 53,197 or 33.7 percent residents of West Bangka District have received COVID-19 shots so far, the regional COVID-19 task force has reported.

“Recipients of the first vaccine dose have reached 53,197 people, and some 23,381 of them have received the second vaccine dose,” West Bangka COVID-19 spokesperson, M. Putra Kusuma, informed in Mentok on Tuesday.

The 53,197 vaccine recipients comprise 1,480 healthcare workers, 3,171 elderly people, 9,806 public servants, 31,675 members of the general public, and 7,065 teenagers in the 12-18 age group, he said.

Of the 31,675 members of the general public who have received the COVID-19 vaccine, 151 are pregnant women and 39 are vulnerable people, he added.

Meanwhile, the 23,281 residents who have received the second dose of the vaccine include 1,419 healthcare workers, 2,025 elderly people, 7,431 public servants, 12,331 general public, and 175 teenagers aged 12 to 18, he informed.

He said that the second vaccine dose has been administered to 14.8 percent of the targeted recipients.

Overall, West Bangka is targeting to inoculate a total of 157,934 residents, comprising 1,242 healthcare workers, 12,891 elderly people, 12,621 public servants, 108,578 members of the general public, and 22,602 teenagers, he added.

“We and all stakeholders are continuously attempting to hasten the vaccination process so that herd immunity can be formed as soon as possible, as intended,” Putra Kusuma said.

The effort to hasten vaccination coverage has been made in collaboration with the police force and national defense force, he added.

The number of vaccinators has also been boosted from 20 teams to up to 42 teams, he said.

“A few days ago we opened recruitment to add vaccinators from the health services unit and volunteers,” he informed.

Source: Antara News

The former office of the Surabaya City Government Regional Organization (OPD) will be converted into a dormitory to accommodate children whose parents died of COVID-19, the city’s mayor has said.

The city government is currently preparing and collecting data on children who will live in the dormitory, Mayor Eri Cahyadi informed in Surabaya on Tuesday.

“As of the latest, we have prepared a location for the children and are estimating (requirements that need to be met) to make things certain,” he said.

He added that his administration will not make it mandatory for children orphaned by COVID-19 to reside at the dormitory, but it has offered them a choice to do so of their own volition.

Currently, the Surabaya city government has prepared former offices that are no longer in use to accommodate such children, Cahyadi informed.

“We have prepared former service offices that are no longer used as dormitories for them,” he stated.

The mayor has assured that the rights of children whose parents have died of COVID-19 in the city of Surabaya will be upheld.

The municipal government is also guaranteeing their education up to the university level, he observed. These children are future leaders of the nation, so the city government will fight for their future, Cahyadi remarked.

Based on data from the Surabaya city government, in August 2021, COVID-19 related deaths have been recorded in 1,400 families. At least 600 of the families have been surveyed by the Surabaya Population Control, Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Service, while data on the rest is still being collected.

Acting head of DP5A Surabaya, Antik Sugiharti, assured that children orphaned due to COVID-19 will get proper education, healthcare, and have the right to be taken care of.

“They must have a family who can take care of, protect and look after (them). Otherwise, the city government will provide a place (dormitory) where the children can live,” Sugiharti added.

Source: Antara News

Indonesia has sufficient COVID-19 vaccines to inoculate 77 percent of the country’s total population and build herd immunity, Vice President Ma’ruf Amin has said.

“The government is deploying various efforts to accelerate vaccinations. The (number of) vaccines itself is sufficient enough to vaccinate 77 percent (of the population),” he noted while reviewing the Healthy Synergy Vaccination Center at the Media Hotel and Tower, Central Jakarta on Tuesday.

Although the number of COVID-19 vaccines has been confirmed to be sufficient, the vaccination process is taking time because it is not possible to rely solely on personnel from the health office of each region to carry out vaccinations, Amin explained.

Therefore, the government has involved the TNI, police, the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN), and various organizations to accelerate COVID-19 vaccinations in the community.

“The government has mobilized the health office, the TNI, Police, the BKKBN and is being also assisted by various groups, such as educational institutions,” he informed.

He said the government is supporting the acceleration of COVID-19 vaccinations so that community or herd immunity can be achieved quickly in Indonesia.

“The government wants to speed up the vaccination process, especially for the first and second (dose), to pursue herd immunity. We want everyone to be vaccinated by the end of 2021, so we can get herd immunity,” he remarked.

Based on data from the Ministry of Health, the government has received 169 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine as of September 12, 2021, out of which 157 million doses have been distributed to regions, 9 million doses are currently being distributed, and another 3 million doses are being stored as national reserves.

“Of the 157 million doses that have been sent to the regions, 116 million doses have been injected. So there are 41 million doses (remaining) spread in regions,” Health Minister Budi Sadikin said.

The central government has urged local governments to administer the COVID-19 vaccines immediately, he added.

“Under the direction of the President, it is requested that (the remaining) 41 million doses of the vaccine that have been spread across provinces, districts, and cities be injected immediately; 41 million doses is a very large number,” he remarked.

Source: Antara News

An official of the National Agency of Drug and Food Control (BPOM) emphasized that advertisements on traditional medicines appearing in the media are currently only for personal medical purposes, so the related information should be objective so as not to mislead consumers.

“Hence, what are the symptoms that can be self-diagnosed for self-medication that are allowed,” BPOM’s Director of Registration of Traditional Medicines, Health Supplements, and Cosmetics Dwiana Andayani stated during a webinar on traditional medicines and health supplements on Tuesday.

Most of the traditional medicines and health supplements used are for self-medication purposes, so the claims in advertisements should cater to laypersons or the general public to offer a lucid understanding to enable them to assess the symptoms they experience.

The information submitted must also be objective, complete, and not misleading to protect the public from excessive and incorrect use of the product.

Manufacturers can also include efficacy, uses, and information regarding items that consumers should take into account, such as contraindications and side-effects.

Furthermore, advertising must not take advantage of the people’s concerns regarding a health problem and create a special perception in society that results in undue and improper use.

During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the agency prohibits claims of certain medicinal products, including herbs, that are associated with COVID-19 healing. She emphasized that there were no health supplement products or traditional medicines proven to counter COVID-19.

“It is not allowed to associate (drugs) to use for treating COVID-19 unless and until there is supporting clinical evidence,” he noted.

They also prohibit product manufacturers to include testimonials in their claims due to their highly subjective and biased nature.

Andayani remarked that drug advertisements are mandated to secure approval from the BPOM to indicate that information in the advertisement is valid, accurate, and objective, and consumers can believe that the information provided is correct and not misleading.

“Traditional medicine and health supplement advertisements must first be registered with the BPOM, obtain an approval, and only then be displayed. If the advertisement does not go through the BPOM approval first, the supervisory department will withdraw the advertisement and impose sanctions on the business players,” she cautioned.

The BPOM has coordinated with other ministries and agencies to monitor advertising, as several producers utilize various forms of media.

Source: Antara News