Private Vaccination Program Needs Improvement

BPMI SEKRETARIAT PRESIDEN

Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin gave a statement after reviewing the arrival of the Sinovac vaccine, on Sunday (18/4/2021).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Indonesia’s private COVID-19 vaccination drive, called the gotong-royong (mutual cooperation) program, is facing obstacles, including a low outreach to companies and lack of certainty in vaccine procurement. A number of improvements are needed in the program.

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, in an online press conference on Monday (12/7/2021), announced that the private vaccination program had been expanded to an individually paid program to enable the companies under the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) to easily get access to vaccines for their employees.

“Why expanded to individuals? This is because many entrepreneurs have not been able to gain access through the Kadin gotong-royong vaccination program; for example, a private company or a small company. They want to have access but have not been able to enter through the Kadin program. That\'s what we are opening," Budi Gunadi said.

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Pharmaceutical company PT Kimia Farma Tbk initially launched an individual gotong-royong vaccination program on July 9-10 in several areas in Java and Bali. The vaccine price was set at Rp 321,660 (US$22.21) per dose, with an administrative service fee of Rp 117,910 per dose.

Indonesian Footwear Association (Aprisindo) executive director Firman Bakrie said a number of companies in the labor-intensive sector found it difficult to participate in the Kadin vaccination program because the price was too high.

“We support Kadin\'s gotong-royong vaccination program. However, for the labor-intensive sector, it is rather difficult for us to vaccinate employees at that price," he said.

Some companies have fallen back on free vaccinations provided by the government rather than buy doses at a high price from Kadin.

No certainty

Martin Gunawan, one of the directors at a chemical company in Jakarta, said his company had registered for the Kadin gotong-royong vaccination program in February when registration opened. At that time, it was told it would be part of the first batch.

KOMPAS/SAIFUL RIJAL YUNUS

President Joko Widodo monitors mass vaccination in the courtyard of the Southeast Sulawesi Governor\'s office, in Kendari, Wednesday (30/6/2021).

However, the company has yet to receive a vaccination schedule for its employees.

“Every time we asked, we were told to wait. We kept waiting until we discovered that the Kadin contact number was not active anymore. Finally, I just ordered our employees to get the vaccine themselves," Martin said.

Political Economy and Policy Studies (PEPS) managing director Anthony Budiawan said the government should focus on the problem of procurement and distribution in the Kadin vaccination program.

“However, this cannot be used as an excuse for the government to sell the COVID-19 vaccine to the public. If many companies can\'t access Kadin’s vaccinations, check what the problem is, expand its coverage and tackle distribution problems. The solution is not to hold paid programs for the community, while the initial scheme through the company still has many obstacles," Anthony said.

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Faisal Basri, a lecturer at the Economics and Business School of the University of Indonesia (UI), pointed out that the COVID-19 vaccine was public property and with limited supply, vaccines should be given based on the level of risk at the community; not based on cash affordability.

This policy was considered unethical amid the ongoing emergency situation and is feared to cause social unrest.

Meanwhile, the Citizens\' Coalition for Health Access Justice urged the government to not just postpone but cancel the paid program for people. This policy was considered unethical amid the ongoing emergency situation and is feared to cause social unrest.

Coalition spokesperson Amanda Tan said the COVID-19 vaccine should not be commercialized, especially in the face of current emergency restrictions.

“Every citizen must have the same right to get the vaccine for free through full subsidies from the government,” she said.

KOMPAS/RADITYA HELABUMI

Front view of Kimia Farma Senen, Central Jakarta, Monday (12/7/2021). The implementation of paid Covid-19 vaccinations is scheduled to be carried out at eight Kimia Farma offices in Java and Bali starting Monday (12/7).

Given public reactions, Kimia Farma decided to postpone the implementation of the paid vaccination program with corporate secretary Ganti Winarno saying that the high level of interest and queries prompted the firm to extend its promotion period.

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State-owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir, in a press release, said participants in the paid vaccination program would be covered by the companies they work for. He added that the program would not use funds from the state budget. (AGE/TAN/HEN/APO)

(This article was translated by Musthofid)