"I want to see vaccination and the community empowerment here," Sadikin stated on Friday.
The health minister noted that enabling COVID-19 vaccination for the elderly, who were earlier not inoculated due to physical reasons or health conditions, by picking them up by ambulance or other vehicles, could support the national vaccination achievements.
"Our vaccination coverage reaches 300 million. We are ranked fourth in terms of the vaccination coverage globally. This has been achieved owing to the hard work of our community. This is a movement and not only a program," he noted.
The minister lauded this achievement and was moved by the community movement that continues to promote COVID-19 vaccination in order to boost the immune system and control the pandemic.
“I was touched to see the efforts made by the officials and community in Bantul. They worked hard to pick up the elderly by bicycle, motorcycle, or ambulance to get vaccinated," Sadikin remarked.
Meanwhile, Head of Bantul District Abdul Halim Muslih, who accompanied the minister, noted that the district government will continue to accelerate COVID-19 vaccination in Bantul, especially for the vulnerable group of people, including the elderly and people, with physical limitations to access health services.
Related news: COVID-19 vaccine coverage reaches 80% in Bantul: official
"We pursue vaccination by picking up people with physical limitations and also by offering drive-through vaccination to accelerate the vaccination achievements," Muslih noted.
The Bantul district head stated that another effort made was to persuade people, who had refused to be vaccinated on ideological grounds. These efforts have been made in several sub-districts in Bantul.
"For those who refuse to receive vaccination based on their ideological standpoint, we visit them and try to educate them about the importance of vaccination," he added.
Related news: President Jokowi observes mass vaccination in Bantul, Yogyakarta
Translator: Hery Sidik, Resinta S
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
