Partnering to Push Back the Pandemic: Boosting Capacity to Deliver Covid-19 Vaccinations in Indonesia

Indonesia began its national COVID-19 vaccination drive in January 2021. The Minister of Health (MOH) sets a deadline of March 2022 or 15 months to complete this program. However, the President wants vaccinations done by the end of 2021 by administering one million doses per day. However, this speed remains elusive after six months. The MOH cited global supply restrictions and domestic cold chain infrastructure deficit as the main challenges to this program. Considering that Indonesia has little leverage over international supply chain issues, this paper proposes a paradigm change in the strategy. Instead of obsessing over speed, the national vaccination drive should be prepared for a sustained push against COVID-19. The private sector is a critical part of this strategy to relieve pressure on government resources which are not designed for a sustained deployment