Target Recipients of Vaccines in Papua 1.9 Million People

The Papua Health Office is targeting 1.9 million recipients of the Covid-19 vaccine in Papua. Vaccine recipients are those aged 18 to 59 years.

Head of the Papua Health Service, Robby Kayame, when met in Jayapura, said that his party was targeting to administer the Covid-19 vaccine to 95 percent of the total target of 1.9 million people. Vaccines are focused on areas with high Covid-19 cases, such as Jayapura, Mimika and Nabire.

Vaccines are also prioritized for health workers, TNI-Polri officers, civil service police units, to athletes and the organizing committee for the National Sports Week (PON) in Papua in October 2021.

"They are prioritized because they are at the forefront of handling Covid-19. Meanwhile, athletes are prepared to face PON in Papua, "said Robby.

Robby said that his party is working with the Makassar Center for Health Training to train vaccinators in all health facilities in Papua. This is so that giving vaccines to the community will not be a problem later.

"We are also intensifying the socialization of vaccines because the public still lacks understanding. We will involve community leaders, traditional leaders and religious leaders to be involved in socialization activities, "he said. He hopes that the Covid-19 vaccine can increase the work productivity of the people and the Papuan economy will get back to normal.

As of Tuesday (29/12/2020), the number of deaths due to Covid-19 in Papua has reached 238 people. A total of 1,207 people were treated and 11,935 others recovered. The positivity rate for Covid-19 in Papua reached 13.81 percent. This figure is far above the threshold set by the World Health Organization (WHO), which is 5 percent.

Chief Executive of the Papua Covid-19 Control, Prevention and Handling Task Force Welliam Manderi added that his party would coordinate with the central government to ensure that the provision of vaccine storage facilities in Papua is not hampered.