inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. The government plans to bring in 1,600 additional doses of vaccine in an effort to combat the monkeypox outbreak. 

“From the 1,000 doses that we have, now we only have 40 doses left. Currently we are waiting for the additional 1,600 doses that we hope will come this week,” says the Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin on Tuesday (8/27/2024).

Furthermore in his statement, he acknowledges that the price of each vaccine is quite expensive, with 3.5 million IDR per vaccine.

Although there are no significant hindrances in procuring the vaccines from Denmark, Minister Budi notes that vaccine availability is limited due to high demand from various countries. Moreover, WHO guidelines regulate that the vaccine administration would be for the high risk groups only.

“This vaccine is indeed not for the general public. Because as we all know, the transmission is through sexual contact, 95% of it, which is the same as HIV,” said the Minister of Health.

Minister Budi also implores the public to stay calm amidst the spread of Mpox as the 88 patients infected by the virus have all been recovered.

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