JAKARTA – Indonesian President Joko Widodo today announced that the Covid-19 vaccine will be given for free to its citizens.
"I wish to announce that the Covid-19 vaccine for the people will be 'gratis' (free). I repeat, 'gratis'. There will be no charge whatsoever," the president, fondly known as Jokowi, said in a video on his official YouTube channel.
Jokowi also ordered the republic's Finance Minister Sri Mulyani and provincial governors to give priority to bear the cost of Covid-19 vaccinations in their 2021 budgets.
On December 6, Indonesia received 1.2 million doses of the Covid-19 vaccine from China while another 1.8 million doses are due to arrive early next month.
It was earlier reported that Indonesia, through its Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology under its Research and Technology Ministry, was collaborating with China-based biopharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech on Covid-19 vaccine research.
Through the research, Indonesia also developed a vaccine called "Merah Putih" and, if successful, some 290 million doses are expected to be produced by the middle of next year. – Bernama, December 16, 2020
