IDNEWSNOW.COM, Jakarta – State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir asserted that the authority to determine a procurement of COVID-19 vaccine is in the hands of the Health Ministry.
He ensured that the decision, however, must be based on the list by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the antibody had passed phase 1 and phase 2 clinical trials. The vaccine must also get a permit by the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) before vaccination programs.
“There are, of course, additional notes, such as the vaccine must suit our cold-chain distribution method, which is at temperatures between 2 to 8 degrees Celsius,” said Erick in a video conference on Tuesday, November 24, 2020.
Due to the cold-chain distribution, the government considered the vaccine partnership with Sinovac, Novavax, and AstraZeneca, setting aside the possible ties with Pfizer and Moderna. “Because both vaccines require a storage temperature of minus 75 degrees Celsius and minus 20 degrees Celsius,” he explained.
“Do not think that the government purchases a certain brand because of business. That is not the issue,” he added.
Other than procuring imported vaccines, Erick Thohir ensured that the government would keep developing domestic vaccines, namely the Merah Putih vaccine.
Read: Luhut Preps Collaboration on COVID-19 Vaccine with Pfizer
CAESAR AKBAR
