US Announces Additional $3.5 Million to Support Indonesia’s Vaccination Efforts

Jakarta, MINA – The United States Mission in Indonesia announced additional funding of $3.5 million through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to boost Indonesia’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts, bringing the total U.S. Government support for Indonesia’s COVID-19 response to $14.5 million.

According to a statement from the US Embassy in Indonesia on Tuesday, USAID will use this additional funding to strengthen the Government of Indonesia’s vaccination planning, coordination, distribution, and implementation of procedures during and after vaccine administration. USAID also helps to increase the number of vaccinated communities by addressing misinformation, improving the distribution of timely and factual information, and expanding access to safe and effective vaccines and vaccination facilities.

The United States, through USAID, is accelerating global access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines through a historic $2 billion contribution out of a total planned $4 billion to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. This contribution supports the purchase and delivery of COVID-19 vaccines for 92 countries, including Indonesia, through the Gavi COVAX Advance Market Commitment. It will help protect some of the world’s most vulnerable and at-risk populations from COVID-19 and mitigate the spread of emerging variants. Through COVAX, Indonesia received a total of 4,965,600 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine on March 8 and April 26, 2021, and is slated to receive another 11,704,800 doses this year.

“The rapid spread of COVID-19 has shown us that no nation can act alone against a global pandemic. The United States is committed to supporting Indonesia’s vaccination efforts, partnering with the government and people of Indonesia to save lives, and to working toward the safe reopening of the Indonesian economy,” said Deputy Chief of Mission Heather Variava.

From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), supported Indonesia’s response by equipping health workers with the tools they need; improving laboratory, disease surveillance, and rapid-response capacity; accelerating case detection and tracking; and enhancing risk communications to ensure that more people know how to protect themselves and each other.

Through our support to Gavi, the United States works with partners and governments around the world to vaccinate vulnerable populations, reach those without other options, and help ensure that none of us have to face the challenges of a global pandemic alone.(L/R3/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)