President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has opined that the recent revelation of the circulation of fake vaccines could offer the necessary momentum to improve the governance mechanism of the pharmaceutical industry in the country.

"I view it as a momentum for us all to improve the governance of the pharmaceutical industry, in particular, the distribution of medicines, including vaccines," President Jokowi remarked while visiting the Ciracas community health center in East Jakarta on Monday.

The president affirmed that improved governance of the pharmaceutical industry was aimed at offering better health services to the people.

The president has also instructed his staff, including the national police chief and head of the criminal investigation department, to continue to conduct detailed examination into the fake vaccine network and manufacturers to prevent recurrence of such incidents in future.

President Jokowi visited the Ciracas community health center to ensure that the public received accurate information from the health center, Health Ministry, and the Jakarta health office.

The head of state has called on the public to stay calm as investigation into the cases of fake vaccines would take time and should be carried out carefully.

Earlier, Jokowi had said that the production, distribution, and marketing of fake vaccines is an extraordinary crime, and therefore, the perpetrators must be given stringent punishment.

"This is an extraordinary crime. If our children are not vaccinated, it will have long-term ill effects on our human resources," the president noted, adding that the practice had been rampant

Source: ANTARA