Catholic Church in Jakarta launches mobile vaccination initiative

Cardinal Ignatius Suharyo, Archbishop of Jakarta, led the launching of the Catholic Church’s mobile vaccination initiative on Tuesday, August 3.

"These cars are concrete manifestations of the act of compassion and sharing of love to people in need," said the cardinal in a message during the blessing of the vehicles that will be used by the project.

The Church in Indonesia launched the Serviam Vaccination Service (SVS), a mobile vaccination service of three Catholic schools under the care of the Ursuline Sisters in Jakarta, to reach out to poor communities.

“This vaccination is not a program but a movement, which means this movement must be done together,” said I Gusti Ayu Bintang Darmawati, Indonesia’s minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection, who was present during the occasion.

“This is proof of the synergy of the government, local government, and community institutions to work together to meet the 100 percent vaccination target," she said during the launch of the activity.

Governor Anies Baswedan of Jakarta also expressed his support for the activity. "We thank everyone," said Anies at the launch at Santa Ursula school. 

"Jakarta is dominated by densely populated areas. Mobile vaccination cars can reach residential areas,” he said.
 

Angela Basiroen, head of the SVS committee said the eight vehicles will go around Jakarta to bring the vaccines to people, especially those aged 12-17 years, and the vulnerable communities.

“Our target is the marginalized community, but we also go to schools,” she said. One car can carry 100 to 200 doses of vaccines.

The initiative also aims to reach out to residents in areas with high umber of COVID-19 cases and poor communities. 

The Ursuline missionaries arrived in Indonesia in 1856. Their work is mostly focused on education. - Emiliana Saptaningsih / RVA News