“Right now, we are competing with India and South Korea for hub (status),” Director of Socio-cultural Affairs and International Organizations of Developing Nations at the Foreign Ministry Penny D Herasati said at a virtual media gathering on Tuesday.
The gathering was themed 'Plan of Activities and Priority of Indonesia’s Multilateral Diplomacy for 2022 and Achievement of Indonesia’s Multilateral Diplomacy' in Jakarta.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has initiated the creation of hubs for COVID-19 vaccination training and knowledge in a number of regions as part of efforts to build herd immunity, she said.
South Africa has been the first country to become a hub for COVID-19 vaccination in Africa on account of low vaccine production in the region, she noted.
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“Vaccine production in Africa is very small so South Africa has been quickly appointed (as a hub for COVID-19 vaccination),” Herasati said.
Meanwhile, the hub for COVID-19 vaccination training and knowledge transfer in the Asia-Pacific region will function as a center for training of experts and the transfer of knowledge for mRNA vaccines until the preproduction stage, she informed.
Right now, Indonesia is making preparations for due diligence, which is a prerequisite for it to become a center of mRNA COVID-9 vaccination training and knowledge transfer, she said.
Indonesia already has a competent pharmaceutical enterprise, Bio Farma, which will become a center of excellence and help it compete with India and South Korea, she added.
“Experts from Asian countries will come to transfer mRNA technology,” she said.
Of course, Indonesia’s vaccination coverage and COVID-19 handling will be considered during the evaluation of its suitability as a hub for COVID-19 vaccination training and knowledge transfer in the Asia-Pacific region, she said.
Related news: Indonesia, India, S Korea in COVID vaccine hub race: official
Translator: Juwita Trisna R, Suharto
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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