PALANGKA RAYA – EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATION BUREAU. Provincial Secretary of Central Kalimantan Province Fahrizal Fitri attended the Mass Vaccination for Covid-19 targeting elderly people aged 60 years and over, located at the Palampang Tarung Building, Jalan Tjilik Riwut Km. 5,5, Saturday (22/5/2021). This week’s activity will last for 2 days, 22-23 May 2021 from 08.00 a.m. until it’s finished. People only need to bring their National Identity Card (KTP) to get the vaccination.

In his press statement, Provincial Secretary Fahrizal Fitri revealed that this mass vaccination activity targeted 19,000 vaccines to be given to the public. “We see that Central Kalimantan still has a lot of stock. This is a step to mobilize all components of society. I see from the elements of the local government, the collaboration from the Indonesian Police/ Indonesian Armed Force, there is also involvement from PKK as well. This is in the context of encouraging efforts to accelerate and we prioritize the elderly people, even though it was also conveyed from health workers,” said the Provincial Secretary.

He hopes that residents will support this vaccination program by facilitating or helping the elderly people to get vaccinated. “Based on the testimony of several elderly people who participated in the vaccination, there was no negative impact. I ask residents whose neighborhoods are elderly people to be able to facilitate visiting the Puskesmas or the vaccination locations that have been prepared by the government. This is the government’s effort in breaking the chain of Covid-19 spread and increasing herd immunity in the community,” said Fahrizal Fitri.

On the same occasion, the Chief of Central Kalimantan Regional Police Inspector General Pol Dedi Prasetyo said that the vaccination implementation this time did not encounter any significant obstacles. “Everything is going well, including today’s activities, starting from escorting, vaccination activities, thank God we monitor everything in all 14 regencies / municipality. There are hundreds of points of vaccination activity that we carry out today and virtually we can monitor 86 points. Thank God, everything went smoothly, safely and in an orderly manner,” said the Chief of Regional Police.

“We hope, according to the target, we will carry out these activities every week, the implementation of mass vaccination activities, so that our target of at least 75% can be achieved in the shortest possible time,” concluded Chief of Regional Police Inspector General Pol Dedi Prasetyo when giving a statement to media.

Meanwhile, Head of Central Kalimantan Health Office, Suyuti Syamsul, hopes that there will be no Adverse Events Following Immunization (KIPI) after the implementation of this vaccination. “We certainly do not expect side effects of vaccination. However, if there will also be side effects from vaccination, according to the provisions, government hospitals will be treated at no cost at all. Later, if the health facility is allowed to submit a claim to the government through the Provincial Health Office and we will continue it to the Center to claim if there are side effects,” he explained.

Suyuti emphasized that people will get free health services if there are side effects after immunization. “So, once again, please do not pay any cost if there are side effects after immunization, although we do not expect it because it is actually very safe,” said Suyuti Syamsul.

Suyuti also expressed his appreciation to Central Kalimantan Provincial Leadership Coordination Forum for supporting this activity. “Thank you, I also appreciate the initiative of Provincial Leadership Coordination Forum, the Governor and Provincial Leadership Coordination Forum, that this is the first activity in Indonesia that takes place simultaneously and is monitored virtually at more than 83 points, involving all personnel, from the Health Offices both in provincial and regency level, Regional Police and Regional Military, all involved in supporting the vaccinators. We have deployed approximately 1500 vaccinators,” added Suyuti Syamsul in his press statement. (ran/dew/photo: kominfo kalteng/translated by feb)