Indonesia to boost social, health spending amid virus battle

That includes the capital Jakarta, where some emergency wards have been moved to tents in hospital car parks, with a surge in COVID-19 patients stretching medical care capacity.

Sri Mulyani said 126.79 trillion rupiah ($8.72 billion) of social assistance would be provided to help tens of millions of households, through cash transfers, electricity discounts and by accelerating food aid programmes.

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Healthcare spending will rise 8% to 186 trillion rupiah, including on adding more staff for vaccinations and COVID-19 treatment, she said.

The government has pledged to boost testing and speed up vaccinations, with just 7.5% of the targeted 181.5 million fully vaccinated.

Indonesia has relied mainly on the Sinovac vaccine, but authorities are looking to diversify sources. Budi said the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine could be administered to those under 18, when delivered in August.

He also said Indonesia was committed to invest in producing mRNA vaccines locally.

The food and drug agency on Friday approved the Moderna mRNA vaccine, ahead of the arrival of four million doses via the international COVAX scheme.

The Netherlands will also donate three million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, Indonesia's Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said. ($1 = 14,540.0000 rupiah)