President Jokowi Calls On Stricter Supervision of Medicines

President Jokowi, accompanied by Health Minister, Cabinet Secretary, and Head of the BPOM, press the button to symbolically launch the National Campaign to Eradicate Illegal Drug and Drug Abuse at Bumi Perkemahan Wisata Cibubur East Jakarta, Tuesday, (3/10). (Photo by: Agung/Public Relations Division)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said after a number of youngsters in Kendari, South East Sulawesi, recently became victims after they consumed PCC pills and Jin pills should be an eye opener to the fact that the issues of drug abuse, illegal drugs and forbidden drugs cannot be taken lightly.

“This case is possibly just the tip of the iceberg. The cases of PCC pills and Jin pills are probably the top of an iceberg that only appears on the surface but below it, there are potentials of drug abuse that deserve our attention,” the President said in his remarks at the Launching of the National Campaign to Eradicate Illegal Drug and Drug Abuse at Bumi Perkemahan Wisata Cibubur in East Jakarta, Tuesday (3/10).

In regard to the incidents, the President stressed the greater role assumed by the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) in protecting the people and the young generation against drug abuse. However, the President also reminded that the supervision function is not merely a matter of administrative matters or technical procedure matters, let alone business matters.

“However, this is a matter of the presence of the State and the Government in protecting the people and the young generation that will be the future of our nation Indonesia,” the President said.

President Jokowi went on to say that the tasks of protecting the people from illegal drugs and drug abuse cannot be done by the BPOM only; rather, the President called on all ministries, non-ministry institutions, and regional governments to join hands to make the fight against drug abuse be done affectively.

“We must remove and break the shackles of bureaucracy. We must not let the task of protecting the lives of children and Indonesian young generation be eclipsed by the issues of bureaucracy, procedures, paperwork, document matters, and management of budget posts. The state must be present to protect the whole Indonesian people,” the President said, adding that the task of supervising the circulation of medicine must be done strictly and seriously.

“Do cut regulations that slow down (the process of supervising medicine circulation) and that are complicated.  We must face all these with speed,” he said.

President Jokowi also warned against those who try to disrupt the process of supervision of medicine and food proses with acts of bribery.

“We must put an end these practices so we can prevent victims of illegal drugs. It is now time for all of us to take the responsibility to protect the health and the safety of the whole Indonesian people,” the President concluded.

Accompanying the President on that occasion were Minister of Health Nila F. Moeloek, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, and Head of BPOM Penny Kusumastuti Lukito. (DND/AGG/ES) (EP/YM/Naster)