Makassar, S Sulawesi (ANTARA) - South Sulawesi Governor HM Nurdin Abdullah has said he is prepared to serve as a volunteer for the first phase of the government's COVID-19 vaccination program.
"I am ready for that. The government has convincingly ensured that the COVID-19 vaccines are safe. We must set a good example," he told journalists in Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi province, on Wednesday.
Abdullah praised the decision taken by President Joko Widodo to rid Indonesia of the coronavirus pandemic through a vaccination program.
“Mr. President has given a good example that vaccination is so indispensable for us to be free from the coronavirus pandemic," he remarked.
Abdullah said he has been waiting for the central government's announcement on the commencement of the COVID-19 vaccination program for South Sulawesi.
He then highlighted the importance of regional leaders' voluntary participation in the vaccination program, arguing that their involvement would demonstrate the government's seriousness in setting a good example for people at large.
The novel coronavirus disease, or COVID-19, initially struck the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of 2019 and then spread across the world, including to countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
Indonesia, which officially announced its first confirmed cases on March 2 this year, has consistently expressed confidence in the potential of COVID-19 vaccines for winning the fight against the pandemic, which has posed a serious threat to public health and the economy.
Over the past few months, the government has made all-out efforts to secure potential COVID-19 vaccines for Indonesians through bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
The government is also supporting research efforts towards developing the country's own COVID-19 vaccine, Merah Putih (Red and White).
Indonesia is also cooperating with China and the United Kingdom for the procurement and supply of COVID-19 vaccine candidates.
An Indonesian delegation secured access to COVID-19 vaccines from China during a meeting with representatives from Cansino, G42, Sinopharm, and Sinovac in China on October 10 this year.
Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, has said the government would likely commence the first phase of COVID-19 immunization in the third week of December, 2020. (INE)
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EDITED BY INE
