Russian Sputnik V COVID-19 vaccine approved for emergency use in Indonesia

• Indonesia approves Russian-made coronavirus vaccine.
• Thorough review of the medication had been carried out.
• Indonesia has so far recorded over 4,000,000 COVID-19 cases.

Indonesia’s National Agency of Drug and Food Control announced on Wednesday that the Russian-made Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine has been approved for emergency use in the country.

“The National Agency of Drug and Food approved another coronavirus vaccine, Sputnik V, on Tuesday, August 24,” the statement published today on the website of the country’s National Agency of Drug and Food Control reads.

The agency’s head Penny Lukito said that a thorough review of the medication had been carried out. She added that Sputnik V’s effectiveness stood at 91.6%.

The Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), in turn, said that Indonesia was the 70th country to approve Sputnik V. The total population of countries that have authorized the Russian vaccine is four billion, which accounts for 50% of the world’s population.

“Indonesia is one the most populated nations in Asia and inclusion of Sputnik V in the national vaccine portfolio will provide for using one of the safest and most effective vaccines in the world,” RDIF CEO said.

Indonesia has so far recorded over four million coronavirus cases, more than 128,000 deaths and about 3.6 million recoveries. The country’s authorities earlier approved the use of coronavirus vaccines produced by Sinovac, Sinopharm, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Pfizer.