Health diplomacy remains Indonesia’s priority program for 2022, including efforts to indigenously produce vaccines, Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi has stressed.
“Indonesia must be able to produce its own vaccines and become a hub for vaccine production in the region. Indonesia must have the ability to make its own medicines and meet (the supply of) drug raw materials,” she said while delivering her annual press statement (PPTM) here on Thursday.
To achieve this goal, long-term cooperation is required to strengthen the national health infrastructure and the distribution of drugs and vaccines, she added.
According to the minister, the government has also bolstered vaccine manufacturing through research development and networks such as the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI).
Throughout 2021, various diplomatic endeavors were carried out to meet the vaccine needs of the Indonesian people, Marsudi said.
By the end of December 2021, Indonesia had administered more than 270 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine — the achievement was the fifth highest in the world after China, India, the United States, and Brazil, she added.
More than 20.15 percent of the vaccines received by Indonesia came through the COVAX Facility and dose-sharing schemes with friendly countries, she noted.
“On December 22, 2021, Indonesia has met the WHO’s (World Health Organization) target by fully vaccinating 40 percent of its population. The next challenge is to reach 70 percent of the total population (for full vaccination) by mid-2022,” the minister explained.
Indonesia is also serving as a co-chair on the COVAX Advance Market Commitment Engagement Group, which has fought for equitable vaccine access for all countries since 2019, she pointed out.
Amidst many predicaments, COVAX has distributed 811 million doses of vaccines to 144 countries and entities as of the end of last year, she informed.
Marsudi further said she viewed the new pandemic treaty, which is currently being negotiated under the WHO framework, as imminent.
“Indonesia is ready to contribute constructively to the negotiation process of the pandemic treaty. Also, new health funding mechanisms for developing countries must be created,” she asserted.
Source: Antara News