Independent Vaccines Violate the Principles of Equality and Justice
Jakarta, 21 January 2021 – The government's plan to open an independent vaccination route violates the principles of equality and fairness in access to public health and safety. The reason for speeding up the vaccination process in the country is also unacceptable.
PRESS RELEASE
Independent Vaccines Violate the Principles of Equality and Justice
By LaporCovid-19, KawalCovid-19, Lokataru, YLBHI, ICW
Jakarta, January 21 2021 – The government's plan to open an independent vaccination route violates principle equality And justice access to public health and safety. The reason for speeding up the vaccination process in the country is also unacceptable. In handling the pandemic crisis experienced by Indonesia, vaccine administration should follow WHO recommendations where vaccination is carried out by giving priority to groups vulnerable to exposure, such as health workers, elderly groups and people living in locations with high transmission rates.
Vaccination distribution should be carried out based on public health, medical and epidemiological considerations, not financial capabilities. Currently, every country is competing to get vaccines, the availability of which is still limited. We strongly agree with Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin that the current distribution of vaccines in the world is unfair, where "rich countries, rich groups, get (the vaccine) first compared to people who cannot afford it." (Kompas 100 CEO Forum, January 21 2021),
For this reason, we must ensure that the same injustice does not occur in our own country, where access to vaccines is determined by the financial ability to purchase the vaccine. Currently, vaccine producers in the world are still focused on serving vaccine requests from government agencies to help deal with the pandemic. If private parties are allowed to obtain vaccines for their own environmental needs, it is feared that this will reduce the share of free vaccines that the wider community is eagerly awaiting.
Indonesia is currently still in the status of a public health emergency and a non-natural national disaster emergency so that the government is bound by certain obligations, especially regarding dealing with these emergency situations.
The Government's plan to allow independent vaccines also has the potential to violate Article 5 of Health Law 36/2009 which guarantees (1) Everyone has the same rights in gaining access to resources in the health sector. (2) Everyone has the right to obtain safe, quality and affordable health services. (3) Every person has the right to independently and be responsible for determining the health services needed for himself.
Apart from that, Article 3 (1) Minister of Health Regulation 84/2020 concerning the Implementation of Vaccinations in the Context of Overcoming the Covid-19 Pandemic. The implementation of COVID-19 Vaccination is carried out by the Central Government and the Central Government in implementing COVID19 Vaccination involves the Provincial Regional Government and Regency/City Regional Government. This Minister of Health Regulation, in particular Article 8, regulates that the implementation of COVID-19 Vaccination will be carried out in stages according to the availability of the COVID-19 Vaccine. And criteria for priority recipients of the COVID-19 Vaccine have been determined.
The plan to procure vaccines by the private sector through an independent vaccine program has the potential to disrupt arrangements regarding priority for vaccine recipients. The independent vaccine program can only be opened if all people targeted for free vaccination have received vaccine injections. For now, private involvement in the vaccination program is needed, but not in order to get priority. The private sector can help with funding and delivery logistics, etc. through their CSR program to speed up the vaccination program evenly and fairly. The private sector can also help in providing education and incentives (e.g., transportation costs to vaccination sites, leave permission if necessary) to their employees to support the national vaccination program.
Citizens Coalition for Fair Health Access
LaporCovid19 – KawalCovid19 – YLBHI – Indonesia Corruption Watch – Lokataru Foundation
CONTACT
Irma Hidayana (LaporCovid19) +19179419383
Elina Ciptadi (KawalCovid19) +65 9181 0928
Asfinawati (YLBHI) +62 812-8218-930
