Maria Fatima Bona, Vento Saudale, Jakarta – Shortage in global vaccine supplies has slowed Indonesia's attempts to ramp up vaccination against Covid-19 but somehow the country managed to administer 77.14 million doses as of Wednesday, with 25.4 million citizens already fully vaccinated.

President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has instructed the number of jabs to be increased to 2 million per day, but so far health authorities only manage to deliver around half of the target due to shortage.

Still, vaccine distribution is one of the country's biggest logistical tasks in history, with target population set at 208 million across the sprawling archipelago.

The government aims to get 70 percent of adult population in Bali and stricken cities across Java at least partially vaccinated by September. The cities include Bandung, Surabaya, Malang, Semarang, Solo and Yogyakarta, Heath Ministry spokeswoman Siti Nadia Tarmizi said.

In addition, a number of cities in the easternmost province of Papua get a priority as they will host the upcoming National Games (PON). The multi-sport event is scheduled for October, a year later than originally planned.

"So we have special vaccination target in Jayapura district, Jayapura city, Keerom, Merauke and Mimika that must be concluded in September," Siti said.

She added all 208 million of the target population countrywide must be fully vaccinated by the end of April next year. Moreover, all health workers are encouraged to get a booster shot.

It means the country must deliver more than 1.5 million doses per day.

The national capital Jakarta has the best vaccination rate, with 97 percent of the target population partially vaccinated and 42 percent getting double doses of the vaccine, according to the city's Health Department.

Jakarta's strong pace in the vaccination drive drew reaction from neighboring cities, who demand equal access to central government's vaccine stockpile.

"The president has underlined that Greater Jakarta must be equally vaccinated. If Jakarta has a vaccination rate of above 80 percent, so must its satellite cities," said Bima Arya, the mayor of Bogor just south of the national capital.

Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/news/over-25-million-indonesians-fully-vaccinate