COVID-19 Vaccine Free for All Indonesian Citizens
President Joko Widodo has stated that the COVID-19 vaccine will be given free of charge to all Indonesian citizens.
“After receiving a lot of public input and recalculating state finances, I can say that the COVID-19 vaccine for the community is free,” said the President via the Presidential Secretariat YouTube channel.
The President ordered his cabinet team and the regional government to prioritise the vaccination program in the 2021 budget.
“I also instructed and ordered the Minister of Finance to prioritise and reallocate other budgets related to the availability and free vaccination so that there is no reason for the public to not receive vaccines,” he said.
Previously, it was reported that the COVID-19 vaccine was divided into free vaccines and independently paid vaccines. The division has been between the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises.
Currently, 1.2 million Sinovac vaccines have arrived in Indonesia. Furthermore, the next supply will follow.