The VII Kupang Naval Base (Lantamal) held another COVID-19 vaccination program for maritime communities on Alor Island, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province, the outermost island on the border of Indonesia and Timor Leste.

“The vaccination program took place on the Indonesian warship (KRI) Teluk Banten-516, while the ship was docked at the container port in Southwest Alor Sub-district,” Head of the Health Office of the VII Kupang Naval Base Lieutenant Colonel M. Haris Bennu said in Alor District on Tuesday.

He informed that the implementation of the program involved vaccinators from the VII Kupang Naval Base Health Office, Kupang City Samuel J. Moeda Navy Hospital, Moru Sub-district Community Health Center, the Alor Resort Police Health Team, as well as non-commissioned village officers (Babinsa) from the district.

“In details, of the 388 people who were vaccinated, 380 people received the first dose of the vaccine, while the rest received the second one,” he said.

Earlier, on the same warship, mass vaccination had been organized for maritime communities in Rote Ndao District, Indonesia’s southernmost district, and Sabu Raijua District, one of the outermost districts of the country.

Recently, a vaccination program was also organized on Sumba Island.

Meanwhile, Commander of VII Kupang Naval Base Commodore IG. Kompiang Aribawa said he expected the implementation of the vaccination program to help the people of Alor Island to gain herd immunity and minimize adverse events of COVID-19 if infected with the virus.

The program is one of the Navy’s attempts in helping local governments to accelerate vaccinations in a number of districts that still have a low vaccination coverage, he added.

“The program is in accordance with the order of the Navy Chief of Staff (Kasal) Admiral Yudo Margono to carry out mass vaccination for coastal and islands communities by optimizing any facilities owned by the Navy,” he said.

Source: Antara News