Gov’t Ensures Medicine Availability for Self-Isolating COVID-19 Patients

President Jokowi talks with TNI Commander and Minister of State-Owned Enterprises about free medicine package for self-isolated COVID-19 patients (15/07/2021). (Photo by: Press Media and Information Bureau of Presidential Secretariat/Rusman)

In light of the surge in COVID-19 cases, the Government has ensured the availability of COVID-19 medicines.

The Government also said that it will administer free medicine packages for COVID-19 patients self-isolating at home.

“It shows, as the President said, that the country stands together with its people. We want the patients to recover from COVID-19 immediately. We want the people not to be worried about issues that we lack medicines,” Minister of State Owned Enterprises Erick Thohir said, Thursday (15/07/2021).

According to Erick, his Ministry has collaborated with Ministry of Health to launch a website page with information about the availability of medicines in drug stores under the supervision of Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises.

Moreover, several pharmaceutical state-owned enterprises, he added, will also continue to produce and supply COVID-19 therapeutic medicines that are in accordance with the standard set by Ministry of Health and the National Agency of Food and Drug Control (BPOM).

“Last night, the BPOM issued eight types of medicines. We will continue to distribute them. Yesterday, Ministry of Health also issued a regulation that some of these medicines can be accessed by the public. What we prioritize is the availability of medicines for everyone supported by many ministries,” Erick added.

For the record, three of eight types of those medicines are Oseltamivir, Favipiravir, and Remdesivir.

The Government will, he added, also continues to ensure the license of other COVID-19 therapeutic medicines, including Tocilizumab.

Furthermore, the Minister said that his Ministry will continue to ensure the availability of generic medicines at an affordable price for everyone, adding that the availability of medicines is not the sole responsibility of pharmaceutical state-owned enterprises but also private companies that manufacture medicines.

The Minister also underscored that it is not a competition to produce as many as medicines, but it is a collaboration to provide equal access to medicines for COVID-19 patients, while urging all COVID-19 patients self-isolating to remain patient until the free medicine packages from the Government arrive. (FID/UN) (AP/EP)