IDNEWSNOW.COM, Jakarta – The president director of state-pharmaceutical firm Bio Farma, Honesti Basyir, during a house of representatives (DPR) hearing on Monday revealed that the COVID-19 candidate vaccine jointly developed with China’s Sinovac Biotech may only be able to produce 260 million doses by December 2021.
“There remains to be a lag from our supply of almost 100 million doses. We will establish partnerships with a variety of vaccine producers,” said Basyir in his presentation at the Commission IX DPR hearing.
This is seen as an issue since each person must receive two doses of the future COVID-19 vaccine. Taking that into consideration, with Indonesia’s 170 million population, vaccine producers must be able to at least produce 340 million doses as each person needs two vaccinations.
The Bio Farma president said the firm is eyeing to establish a deal with G20, Sinopharm, AstraZeneca, along with a number of local firms such as Kalbe Farma.
Moreover, Sinovac has committed to supply vaccines in bulk up to 20 million doses in November – December 2020 and will be followed by 30 million from January – March 2021.
The DPR hearing was attended by the Health Ministry’s research and development head, BPOM, and Deputy supervisor of drugs, narcotics, and addictive substances.
Read also: Bio Farma to Receive Millions of COVID-19 Vaccine Concentrates
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