Exclusive-Indonesia in talks with WHO to become global vaccine hub: minister

FILE PHOTO: Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin shows the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine at a mass vaccination programme in Surabaya, Indonesia, March 23, 2021 in this photo taken by Antara Foto. Antara Foto/Moch Asim/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. INDONESIA OUT./File Photo

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia is in talks with the World Health Organization (WHO) as well as six drug companies to become a global hub for manufacturing vaccines, its health minister told Reuters.

Detailing the ambitious strategy for the first time, Budi Gunadi Sadikin said in an interview that Indonesia would kickstart the initiative by prioritising purchases of COVID-19 vaccines from companies that shared technology and set up facilities in Indonesia.