House Speaker Puan Maharani Hopes Free Covid-19 Booster Vaccine

Chairperson of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, said that the Covid-19 vaccine booster program is planned to start on January 12, 2022. Puan hopes that the vaccine booster can be given free of charge or free to the public.

“The DPR RI provides full support for the implementation of the Covid-19 vaccine booster program. And we hope that the vaccine booster will be given without any fees,” said Puan, Tuesday (4/1/2022).

The vaccine booster is targeted to start running on January 12, 2022 for the adult group, and is currently still waiting for the results of research from the Indonesian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ITAGI). Puan emphasized that the safety of the public is of utmost importance. “The government must ensure the safety of the people. Therefore, it is necessary to provide booster vaccines for free for residents, especially small people,” said Puan Maharani.

Even so, Puan assessed that the government could prepare other options according to the country’s capabilities. If it is felt that the economy is still unable to cover the vaccine booster program, the government is said to be able to make a paid booster program for the upper middle class. “But the main principle is that booster vaccines must be free because vaccines are the basic needs of the people which are the responsibility of the state,” said Puan.

The vaccine booster program is prioritized to target the elderly group of BPJS Health Contribution Assistance Recipients (PBI) and non-PBI participants. The DPR RI hopes that the Government will pay close attention to the data on BPJS Health PBI participants, considering that this group of people is the most difficult to get access to health.

“Make sure that all underprivileged people are included in the BPJS Health PBI list, be it the elderly or the general group so that people from these groups really get health services, without having to worry about costs,” concluded Puan Maharani.