Director General of Information and Public Communication at the Communications and Information Technology Ministry, Usman Kansong, expressed gratitude to the Australian Government for its assistance in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia by sending vaccines.
"This also shows the close relations between the two neighboring countries, including in the efforts to deal with the pandemic," Kansong noted in a statement on Wednesday.
The vaccine consignment that arrived at the Soekarno Hatta Airport on Wednesday afternoon added to the list of vaccines provided by the Australian Government.
Indonesia has received vaccine donations thrice from Australia, with the number of vaccine doses totalling over three million.
The government's efforts to ensure the stock of COVID-19 vaccine doses for the community reflect the government's goal to push for the people's recovery in the midst of a pandemic.
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Indonesia has received over 500 million doses of vaccines, both in the form of raw materials and finished products, through various procurement methods.
"This is a manifestation of the government's commitment to protecting the community from the threat of COVID-19," he stated.
Kansong ensured that the vaccines that had recently arrived in Jakarta would be distributed at the earliest to areas in need of COVID-19 vaccine stocks.
Although Indonesia has exceeded the national vaccination rate target set by the World Health Organization (WHO), some difficult-to-reach areas are encountering problems in achieving the target of administering the COVID-19 vaccine.
"The government will continue to (supply) vaccines to meet the needs of the community," he emphasized.
The government continues to promote COVID-19 vaccinations, particularly amid the rampant spread of the Omicron variant.
Kansong called on everyone to work together and partake in broadening the coverage of efforts to better handle the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also reminded the public to immediately receive the COVID-19 vaccine, especially those that had yet to be inoculated.
"Currently, another increase in the number of cases, especially related to the Omicron variant was reported. Hence, as a form of protection, the government has urged the public to get vaccinated as soon as possible while still following health protocols in a disciplined manner," he concluded.
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Translator: Livia Kristianti, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Suharto
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