Jakarta
Up to 98 million low-income patients whose healthcare premiums are fully funded by the state through the Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) will get the COVID-19 vaccine for free, Research and Technology Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro has said. “Between 97 and 98 million PBI [recipients of contribution assistance] policyholders of the BPJS Kesehatan will get the vaccine for free. Of course, the government and the Health Ministry will see how it is for the non-PBI participants” he said in a hearing with House of Representatives Commission VII overseeing research and technology on Tuesday. Bambang, who also heads the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and is the person-in-charge of the national team to accelerate the development of a possible COVID-19 vaccine, said that the government was currently calculating the total cost of the vaccine....