Indonesia permits private COVID-19 vaccination schemeBy Stanley Widianto
FEBRUARY 26, 20211:47 AM
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-indonesia-vaccine/indonesia-permits-private-covid-19-vaccination-scheme-idUSKBN2AQ16CJAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia has authorised one of the world’s first private vaccination schemes to run alongside its national programme so that companies can buy state-procured vaccines to inoculate their staff in Southeast Asia’s biggest country.
The initiative, approved by a government regulation, has drawn criticism from some health experts who warn it could worsen inequity.
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The regulation stipulates that companies can buy vaccines and inoculate staff and their families for free at privately-run health centres with vaccines distributed by state-owned pharmaceutical company Bio Farma.
The vaccines in the scheme must differ from the current rollout, which includes China’s Sinovac Biotech and is slated to include the AstraZeneca and Novavax vaccines.
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A Bio Farma official told the news conference that it was in talks with Moderna Inc on securing vaccines for the private scheme, a day after a minister said two million doses of China’s Sinopharm vaccine had been lined up.
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