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Jakarta Health Agency to help probe fake vaccine distribution
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The discovery of illegal vaccines in Tangerang, last week, prompted a swift reaction from local vaccine manufacturer Bio Farma. (Shutterstock/-)
T
he Jakarta administration will help investigate the distribution of fake vaccines in the capital after the police announced that four hospitals and two pharmacies in Jakarta had purchased them.
"The city health agency will handle this matter,” Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama said at City Hall on Monday.
Jakarta Health Agency head Koesmedi said he had instructed his subordinates to check the legitimacy of vaccines available at all health centers (Puskesmas), clinics and drugstores in the capital.
“The officers will check if there are any vaccines not produced by state-owned pharmaceutical company Bio Farma. We will investigate them even from the issued invoice. If there are suspicious vaccines, we will deliver the vaccines to the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) [for further investigation],” he said.
Earlier on Wednesday, the police arrested Hidayat Taufiqurahman and Rita Agustina in Bekasi on suspicion of producing fake vaccines. Based on their information, there are three fake vaccine factories, individually located in Bintaro in South Tangerang, East Bekasi and Kemang Regency in Bekasi Regency.
Hidayat and Ratna are among 13 suspects named by the National Police's Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) during their investigation of the case. The suspects will be charged under the 2009 Health Law with a maximum penalty of 15 years and a Rp 1.5 billion (US$ 111,940) fine. (yan)
