Bio Farma postpones diphtheria vaccine export

State-owned vaccine producer PT Bio Farma has postponed the export of diphtheria vaccine to meet the local demands, following the outbreak of the disease at home.

Nurlaela Arief, spokesperson of Bio Farma, when contacted here on Friday, said the company had reallocated its export supply to the domestic market.

"We have reallocated the export supply to the domestic market. We have given priority to local demand," Nurlaela remarked.

The vaccines are Pentabio (Dpt Hb-Hib), DT and Td.

The company has also met the demand from the Health Ministry to increase its vaccine supply for Outbreak Response Immunization (ORI) program.

Bio Farma has increased its production by 35 thousands vials of DT vaccine and 102 thousands vials of Td vaccine, to meet the demand for the ORI program in December. The supply of Dpt Hb-Hib vaccine has been adequate.

The vaccine demand for ORI program in December has amounted to 135 thousands vials for DT vaccine, 760 thousands vials for Td vaccine and 1.4 million vials for Dpt Hb-Hib vaccine.

In 2018, Bio Farma will provide 1.2 million vials of DT vaccine, 7 million vials of Td vaccine, and 4.5 million vials of Dpt Hb-Hib vaccine for the ORI program in January and July.

The supply will be added to the demand of vaccine for routine immunization of toddlers and schoolchildren

Source: ANTARA