Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia at the Launch of Free Self-Isolation Medicine Packages for Public, 15 July 2021, at the Courtyard of Merdeka Palace, Jakarta

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.
Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh.

In order to reduce the rate of COVID-19 transmission, imposition of emergency public activity restrictions (Emergency PPKM) policy is inevitable. The Government continually strives to lower the burden of those affected. Therefore, the Government will provide assistance starting today in the forms of basic necessities, staple food, the Family Hope Program (PKH) and Cash Social Assistance, as well as vitamin and medicine packages.

The Government will distribute vitamin and medicine packages right away for self-isolated patients in areas with the greatest vulnerability to the disease. For the current stage, 300 thousand packages will be distributed for those self-isolated people in the islands of Java and Bali. Afterwards, the other 300 thousand packages will be distributed for those living outside Java.

There are three types of medicine packages with sufficient doses for seven days to be distributed. As seen here at the front.

Package 1, comprising several vitamins, would be administered to asymptomatic patients (OTG). This is Package One.

Package 2, comprising vitamins and medicines, would be administered to residents with positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test results and complaints of fever and loss of smell. For this package, it requires consultation and prescription from a doctor, especially doctors at health centers.

Package 3, comprising vitamins and medicines, would be administered to patients with fever and cough symptoms. This package also requires consultation and prescription from a doctor.

The three free medicine packages for self-isolated patients are not for sale. The supply of packages is prepared by Minister of State-Owned Enterprises and produced by a state-owned company engaged in the pharmaceutical sector. The distribution will be coordinated by Commander of the Indonesian National Defense forces (TNI) in collaboration with regional governments up until village administrations and it will also involve health centers, the military village supervisory officer (babinsa), and neighborhood-community units.

I order that strict supervision be carried out on the ground so that this program can certainly reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread and help treat people suffering from COVID-19. And I also order that the program not hamper the availability of essential medicines for COVID-19 therapy in pharmacies or hospitals.

That concludes my remarks.

Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh. (RIF/MUR)