We have opened a mutual vaccination center in Semarang from March 21 to May 21, 2021. Praise be to God (Insya Allah), next week (a vaccination center) will be (opened) in Surabaya.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) will expand its COVID-19 mass vaccination service post to Surabaya, East Java, starting next week in order to accelerate herd immunity.

“We have opened a mutual vaccination center in Semarang from March 21 to May 21, 2021. Praise be to God (Insya Allah), next week (a vaccination center) will be (opened) in Surabaya,” SOE Minister Erick Thohir said during an online discussion on 'Indonesia’s Health Resilience and Independence’, here on Thursday.

The vaccination center is being set up as part of attempts to accelerate and expand the scope of the national vaccination program as well as to offer easy access to coronavirus vaccines to the public, he informed.

Thohir added that the ministry has set a target of running a vaccination program in five cities — Jakarta, Semarang, Surabaya, Bandung, and Tangerang. As many as five thousand people are targeted to be inoculated per day in each city, he said.

Currently, the SEO Ministry is running a vaccination program in Jakarta and Semarang.

Related news: Self-funded vaccination program to cover 10.1 mln people: minister

Vaccination centers in Jakarta have been opened at the Istora Senayan and Indoor Tennis Stadium at Gelora Bung Karno from March 8 until May 10, 2021. Meanwhile, the vaccination center in Semarang is located at the Recreation Center and Development Promotion Complex (PRPP).

In addition, as part of an attempt to meet the vaccination needs of the government’s program, the SOE Ministry, through Bio Farma, has signed a cooperation agreement with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) to conduct mutual assistance vaccinations.

Through such cooperation, the government can offer private companies the opportunity to participate in the vaccination program and provide free vaccines to their employees and families.

“The mutual assistance vaccination program will target as many as 10.1 million people. We expect that the target to build herd immunity in Indonesia can be reached soon,” Thohir remarked.

Related news: Bali Governor: Secured 700 thousand doses of COVID-19 vaccine



Translator: Juwita Trisna Rahayu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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