This Is The List Of The Highest Retail Prices For COVID-19 Therapeutic Drugs, With A Price Markup For The Sake Of Action

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health has determined the Highest Retail Price (HET) for 11 drugs used in handling the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is stated in the Decree of the Minister of Health No. HK.01.07/MENKES/4826/2021 concerning the Highest Retail Price of Drugs during the COVID-19 Pandemic which was set on July 2, 2021.

The determination of the HET follows the many e-commerce platforms and manufacturers that sell COVID-19 patient care drugs at varying prices.

The Ministry of Health emphasized that the government needs to ensure the affordability of drug prices during the pandemic by regulating the price.

This drug HET applies to pharmacies and pharmacy installations, hospitals/clinics, and health care facilities throughout Indonesia.

The government asserts that until now there has not been found a drug that can treat COVID-19. However, the following drugs are considered to have potential and are ready to be used in the treatment of COVID-19.

“People are advised not to buy drugs freely in large quantities or use them without a doctor's prescription. Don't do self-medication without supervision or advice from health workers," said the Ministry of Health via the Ministry of Health's Instagram account, Sunday, July 4.

"This HET determination is for the benefit of the community, if there are parties who try to take unfair advantage during the pandemic, they will be processed according to applicable law," continued the Ministry of Health.

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan ordered the National Police to take firm action against perpetrators who increased drug prices during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I think General Agus Andrianto (Kabareskrim) is a firm person. I still see an attempt to increase the price (of drugs), don't try it. If you want to try it, go ahead, but you will regret it," said Luhut quoted by Antara. , Saturday, July 3rd.

Luhut said Indonesia is currently in the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic crisis. The number of COVID-19 cases and the number of deaths continues to climb. It even touched the highest figure on Friday, July 2 with 25,830 positive cases and 539 deaths, or the highest since it was first announced in March 2020.

Luhut does not want the high price of medicine to worsen the handling of COVID-19. One of them is the increase in the price of Ivermectin which can now touch the price of tens of thousands per tablet. Whereas the normal price of Ivermectin is less than 10 thousand.

Now the government has set the highest retail price (HET) for 11 drugs used during the pandemic to fight speculators.

"We can't have drug problems, oxygen problems, health problems, create hoaxes, we will act clearly. Because this is about humanity," he said.

Luhut asked the police to act decisively and indiscriminately in enforcement if it is found that the perpetrators are increasing drug prices so that their business licenses are revoked.

"I don't have any business with who he is, there's no backing-backing business, basically we just pull out the roots. We really can't play around. So we back up the Ministry of Health, because this concerns humanitarian issues," he said.