Improve Vaccine Distribution and Supervision

TANGKAPAN LAYAR

A total of 2 million doses of Sinovac vaccine from China arrived on Friday (24/9/2021) at Soekarno Hatta International Airport.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The Covid-19 vaccines in Indonesia are still unequally distributed. The vaccination rollout for vulnerable groups, such as the elderly, has not been optimal. The government is encouraged to bring vaccines closer to communities and civil society should also be involved in supervising vaccine distribution to prevent fraud.

Researcher Agus Sarwono from Transparency International Indonesia said there was a conflict of interest in the provision of vaccines for distributing to the regions. In some cases, the vaccines have been allocated for certain groups.

“Even though the national vaccination [rate] looks great, coverage for the elderly is still low. Moreover, in central and eastern Indonesia, the average [vaccination rate] is still less than 50 percent," he told a press conference held by the Civil Society Coalition for Access to Health Justice on Tuesday (4/1/2022).

Also read:

> Booster Rollout to Start on 12 January

> Omicron Caseload Increases

Agus said the Health Ministry had published information on vaccine use and supplies in provinces and regencies/municipalities. However, detailed information on the vaccine brand and expiration date also needed to be provided. "We believe the Health Ministry has the data. However, why does it not want to provide the information?" he said.

Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) chair Muhamad Isnur said that the large number of violations that occurred during the vaccination rollout showed the chaotic handling of the pandemic in Indonesia. For example, people were still having difficulty getting vaccinated and were vulnerable to discrimination.

Illegal boosters

Isnur invited all parties to monitor potential violations in the vaccination program. According to him, the possibility of vaccine abuse was very likely if the planning was not transparent.

One violation was none other than illegal administration of the third dose of the Sinovac vaccine as boosters for Rp 250,000, which occurred in December 2021 in Surabaya, East Java. The illicit vaccination scheme was conducted on Sunday, 26 Dec. 2021 at a coffee shop on Jl. Kapasan.

KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

Officers unload the Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine under the escort of members of the Brimob Police at the East Java Provincial Health Office, Surabaya, Monday (4/1/2021).

In actual fact, Indonesia has so far allocated the Moderna vaccine as boosters only for health workers. "The vaccination invitations were distributed in a concealed manner via [WhatsApp] messaging to certain circles. Each participant of the booster vaccination program was asked to pay Rp 250,000 to Rp 300,000," said one local resident.

Yohanes, who claimed to be the facilitator of the illicit booster program, did not know where the vaccines used had come from and where the health workers who administered the vaccine came from. "I'm a third [party], I don't know where the vaccines came from. I coordinated first with a friend who was the second [party]," he said.

Health services head Sri Setiyani at the Surabaya Health Office admitted that she knew nothing about the illicit booster program. "Paid vaccinations [are] only carried out in the Gotong Royong [private] vaccination scheme. However, it does not serve individuals, only business entities. This [scheme] uses the Sinopharm vaccine and does not go through the health office, but [coordinates] directly with Bio Farma,” she said.

Omicron threat

The Jakarta Health Office confirmed that the capital currently had 162 cases of the Omicron variant of Covid-19. The majority of cases were detected among overseas travelers.

The health office’s disease prevention and control head, Dwi Oktavia, confirmed the figure on Tuesday (4/1). Six of the 162 cases were locally transmitted.

Also read:

> Omicron and the Pandemic’s Course Ahead

> Omicron Variant Transmission Expanding

The Omicron patients were being treated in isolation at the Athletes Village Covid-19 Emergency Hospital in Kemayoran, and were not self-isolating at home. "We take as many as possible to the isolation facility at the Athletes Village [hospital] or to isolation hotels," she said. Isolation remains an option, as the Omicron variant has the potential to spread rapidly.

At City Hall, Jakarta Deputy Governor Ahmad Riza Patria asked all residents not to ignore the quarantine rules. All international travelers must comply with the mandatory quarantine upon their arrival in Indonesia, as regulated by the central government.

HUMAS POLRESTA SIDOARJO

The Sidoarjo Police held a vaccine raid and health protocol education for motorists at the Surabaya border, Tuesday (4/1/2022) to prevent the entry of the Omicron variant.

Meanwhile, authorities at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in the city of Tangerang, Banten, ensured that health services continued to run as usual at the airport’s Terminal 3 after 15 lab workers were suspected of contracting Omicron. Apart from testing and tracing airport employees, the authorities have also tightened the quarantine procedure for all international arrivals.

At the end of 2021, as many as 14 Farmalab workers and one I-Lab worker tested positive for Covid-19 through routine swab tests. They were suspected of being infected with Omicron from possible exposure through overseas travelers.

“They were exposed to passengers because they came face-to-face [with them] during the swab tests. However, both labs are operating as usual. The results of the swab tests for airport workers were negative," said the commander of the Soekarno-Hatta Covid-19 Air Task Force, Lt. Col. (Sus) Agus Listiono.

Also read:

> Omicron Cases Increase, Children at Risk

> World Races Against Omicron Variant

Airport authorities also tightened the quarantine procedure for international arrivals on 28 Dec. 2021. Passengers are immediately transported to the approved quarantine hotels after taking a swab test. Before, they had to wait at the airport until the test results were ready.

Those quarantined at government facilities must wait at the airport until the results of the swab tests are available before being transported to their designated quarantine facility. The Covid-19 task force is also trying to quarantine passengers from a single flight in the same facility to break the chain of Omicron transmission.

“We are preventing queues and crowds because they are risky. What's more, Omicron spreads is fast," said Agus.

Farmalab and I-Lab have also tightened their health protocols. All workers, including administration staff, for example, are required to wear gloves, double masks, and face shields. Swab testing booths are also disinfected after each use. (TAM/AIK/HLN/DAN/NCA/IDO)

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.