Bio Farma Ready to Produce Covid-19 Vaccine: SOEs Minister

Bandung: Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Erick Thohir has said that state pharmaceutical firm Bio Farma is ready to produce covid-19 vaccine.

This month, Bio Farma will receive raw materials to produce 15 million doses of the Sinovac Biotech covid-19 vaccine.
"In the second week (of January), the raw materials will arrive here," said Erick here on Thursday.

According to reports, the Indonesian government plans to begin the covid-19 vaccination program in mid-January.
 
Nevertheless, the central government is currently still waiting for the emergency use authorization (EUA) from the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) and halal certificate from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI).
 
In a bid to achieve herd immunity, at least 181 million Indonesian people must get the vaccine.

"I have met with MUI chairman. It is MUI's responsiblity. We cannot claim the halalness of the vaccine," Erick explained.

(WAH)