Wednesday, 13 Jan 2021 11:18 AM MYT
Indonesian President Joko Widodo receives a shot of Covid-19 vaccine at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta January 13, 2021. Picture courtesy of Agus Suparto/Indonesian Presidential Palace/Handout via Reuters
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JAKARTA, Jan 13 Indonesian President Joko Widodo became the first person in the country to receive a Covid-19 vaccine shot today, as the government launched an ambitious vaccination campaign in a bid to stem one of the worst coronavirus outbreaks in Asia.
The immunisation campaign aims to inoculate 181.5 million people, with the first to be vaccinated receiving the CoronaVac vaccine from China’s Sinovac Biotech, which Indonesia authorised for emergency use on Monday.
Mr Budi Gunadi Sadikin, a former head of Bank Mandiri and chief of Indonesia s economic recovery task force, will take over the health portfolio.
Ms Olivia Herlinda, policy director at the Centre for Indonesia s Strategic Development Initiatives, said the reshuffle was an opportunity for a more effective approach. The new (Health) Minister should quickly map out the gaps in Covid-19 handling thus far and prioritise strategic actions, she said.
Mr Joko had hinted at the reshuffle back in June after lamenting a lack of a sense of crisis among his ministers.
The reshuffle come weeks after the ministers of fisheries and social affairs were named as suspects in corruption cases by the nation s anti-graft body. -
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