Mandalika requires over one million vaccines to hold World Superbike

Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA) - The Mandalika tourism area in Central Lombok District, West Nusa Tenggara, requires 1,025,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to support the implementation of World Superbike (WSBK) in November 2021, a Health Ministry's official stated.

"The regional vaccination target of 70 percent is equivalent to 1,025,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine needed," Acting Director General of Pharmacy and Medical Devices of the ministry Ariyanti Anaya remarked here on Thursday.

Anaya delivered the statement during a coordination meeting with Commission IX of the Indonesian House of Representatives and West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Governor H. Zulkieflimansyah at the governor's office.

The acting director general has admitted that the COVID-19 vaccination rate in the province was still low at only 20 percent.

Hence, in order to achieve the 70-percent target, it is necessary to expedite vaccination in all regions, especially the Central Lombok District, where the Mandalika circuit is located.

"Vaccination cannot be conducted at once, but rather, it has to be conducted gradually since the vaccines also have to be distributed to other regions, and they arrive gradually too," she explained.

"However, we have received additional vaccines from several other countries. Hence, the vaccination target in NTB Province is expected to be achieved before the implementation of WSBK in November,” she remarked.

Meanwhile, the governor has also admitted that accelerating the vaccination program was the key to the successful implementation of various international events in NTB Province comprising the World Superbike and MotoGP at the Mandalika circuit.

"Accelerating the vaccination program is our current focus," he emphasized.

Zulkieflimansyah underscored that his administration had constantly encouraged to accelerate the program in the region. However, vaccine stock availability often posed constraints.

"Actually, we are ready to conduct vaccinations. However, we are experiencing vaccine shortage at the moment," he added.

In addition, Deputy Chairman of Commission IX of the House Charles Honoris emphasized that his party will encourage the central government, through the Health Ministry, to stock up on vaccines and expedite their distribution in the province.

"We also encourage all parties, with the assistance of the police and military, to speed up vaccinations. Only Mataram City in NTB Province has a high vaccination rate at almost 70 percent, while the other regions have not reached that figure," he pointed out.

Meanwhile, Head of the NTB Provincial Health Office Lalu Hamzi Fikri believes there is no other way to accelerate herd immunity in NTB Province and the Mandalika tourism area except by accelerating the vaccination program, especially in the tourism area.

"Hence, we are targeting 15-18 thousand people per day. However, we want to increase the target of vaccinated people to 45 thousand people each day," he affirmed.