Jakarta (ANTARA) - The government's national COVID-19 vaccination has been sped up in the last six weeks in line with increased vaccine supplies in the country, Indonesia's Vice Minister of Health Dante Saksono Harbuwono stated.

"Since the first vaccination was conducted on January 13, 2021, the rate of vaccination has reached 50 million as per July 2021, or within 26 weeks," he noted while delivering a virtual speech on the arrival of Pfizer vaccines monitored here on Thursday.

According to Harbuwono, the vaccination program was sped up in August 2021 during which Indonesia managed to administer another 50 million doses in only about six weeks. Hence, Indonesia has administered 100 million doses as of August 31, 2021.

Related news: National COVID-19 vaccination program reaches 100 million doses

Harbuwono remarked that the national vaccination program is targeted to average up to 2.3 million doses per day, starting from September 2021.

"In August, we received an additional 43 million doses of the vaccine. On average, we have distributed eight million to 15 million vaccine doses in the regions. Hence, the figure has been increased to 10 million doses per 10 days since August," he affirmed.

The Vice Minister is optimistic that the daily target of injecting 2.3 million doses will be achieved, with vaccine distribution reaching 15.2 million doses in the fourth week of August and 20.3 million doses in the fifth week of August to early September 2021.

"We need the support of all elements of society, the government, the regional health office, the TNI, Police, and private and community organizations to continue to accelerate the rate of vaccination," he added.

Related news: President reviews COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Cirebon


Translator: Andi Firdaus, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2021