Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Health Ministry has outlined a target to administer two million COVID-19 vaccine doses per day, commencing from the second half of 2021.

“It should be increased to two million shots per day, as compared to 700 thousand jabs per day earlier,” Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated at the opening of the COVID-19 vaccination center in cooperation with the Indonesian Insurance Association (AAUI) here on Thursday.

Sadikin spoke of President Joko Widodo having tasked the ministry with offering COVID-19 vaccination to 181.5 million Indonesians above 18 years of age.

The ministry will require 363 million vaccine doses to achieve the target. “Vaccine availability across the world has become an issue, as there are only five vaccine producing countries. Not all countries have access to the vaccine,” he pointed out.

During the initial six months of the year, Indonesia had received 75 million vaccines. The remaining 290 million doses will be delivered in the second half of 2021.

“For now, maybe only three or four countries have administered more than 500 thousand jabs per day,” he pointed out.

The ministry has appealed to all stakeholders to invite the public to participate in the vaccination program, including those at least 18 years of age.

Source: Antara News