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Jokowi announces ‘free’ COVID-19 vaccines for all
The announcement comes just as John Hopkins University researchers found that wealthier nations had already reserved more than half of next year's potential doses of COVID-19 vaccines, possibly resulting in poorer nations getting left behind.
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Health workers inject COVID-19 vaccine into a civil servant during a vaccine drive simulation at Udayana Military Command in Denpasar, Bali, on Dec. 10. (Antara/Nyoman Hendra Wibowo)
P
resident Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has announced that the forthcoming COVID-19 vaccination drive will be made free of charge, as the state looks to quell criticism over assertions that it would only fund inoculation for a third of the population targeted in the program.
Speaking in an official video published on Wednesday, Jokowi said he would make the vaccine available without cost in order to build trust among the people and show that it would be safe to use.
"After receiving much input from the public and recalculating the financial state of the country, I would like to inform you that COVID-19 vaccines for the people will be free. Once again, it will be free of charge," he said.
The President also said he would be the first Indonesian to get a vaccine shot.
As a result of this decision, all Cabinet ministries and institutions as well as regional administrations were instructed to prioritize the vaccination program in their respective 2021 budgets.
Finance Minister Sri Mulyani is also expected to prioritize and reallocate state funds for vaccine procurement and roll-out so that there would not be any reason for people not to get inoculated, Jokowi said.
He did not, however, provide further details on a timeline or a list of vaccines that would be used in the country. There was also no mention of the number of people targeted in the vaccination program.
