The Indonesian Navy, through Navy Main Base of Manado, has deployed one unit of patrol boat to reach the archipelago and accelerate efforts the vaccination of COVID-19. Tedung Selar II-8-26 Navy ship is an element of the Indonesian Navy's patrol boat, carrying the health team along with the necessary logistics, across the ocean to reach islands in the Talaud, Sangihe, Sitaro, and other small islands in North Minahasa.

The majority of people who live in the islands are fishermen. Kinabuhutan Island, Talise Island and Gangga Island, three of the islands visited as vaccination sites. The island, which is located in North Minahasa Regency, is quite close to Manado, the capital of North Sulawesi Province.

Although relatively close, not all of these islands have adequate infrastructure. The absence of a pier causes water transportation as the only transportation that connects to the mainland is very dependent on the ebb and flow of sea water. Uneven telecommunication signal facilities to the availability of electricity that cannot be used for 24 hours.

For example in Airbanua Village, Talise Island. The absence of adequate land routes connecting with other villages and the absence of cellular telecommunications signals resulted in a lack of coordination between local village governments in socializing the vaccination program. This has an impact on people's ignorance of the vaccination program that has been socialized long before.

Various challenges in the field were overcome with a sympathetic approach from the Navy. Tedung Selar II-8-26 Navy ship is instructed by Brigadier General (Mar) I Wayan Ariwijaya as Commander of Navy Main Base of Manado to go around the waters around the island and visit crowds of fishing boats. Residents in coastal villages are also given the opportunity to participate in vaccinations on boats, in addition to attracting the interest of the community as well as a solution to avoid crowds of people queuing for vaccines.

Not only on the ship, the Indonesian Navy health team also go directly to coastal villages and open vaccination posts by cooperating with health workers from the North Minahasa Public Health Office. The “Vaccination Charge” activity has succeeded in vaccinating approximately 1,400 people in the maritime sector in just three days. The Indonesian Navy as the spearhead of the “Vaccination Charge” to the maritime sector community will continue to carry out this activity with as many targets as possible.

Photo & Text: Adwit B Pramono

Editor: Widodo S Jusuf