Alhamdulillah, Ivermectin Is Allowed To Be Used As A Therapeutic Drug For COVID-19

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Indonesian Advanced Institute of Experts (IMI), Lukman Edy, welcomed the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of ivermectin as a therapeutic drug for COVID-19 patients by the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM).

"Alhamdulillah, BPOM has issued a permit for ivermectin as a COVID-19 therapy, along with 7 other therapeutic drugs," Lukman told reporters, Thursday, July 15.

According to him, the presence of ivermectin will greatly help the community. Because the price of medicine for people exposed to COVID-19 is currently quite high.

"When other COVID-19 therapeutic drugs are expensive, naudzubillah, a cheap Ivermectin appears with a plan for mass production by SOEs at a price of only Rp. 7,000," said Lukman.

However, the former Deputy Chairman of Commission II of the DPR, who is also a COVID-19 survivor, admitted that he had difficulty getting ivermectin because of the hectic public discussion during the BPOM test process.

"Many have asked me for more, but my supply of ivermectin has run out. I tried to go to the pharmacy, and the distributor answered that it was withdrawn and raided by BPOM," he explained.

Therefore, the PKB politician appreciated the state-owned company Indofarma, which was encouraged by the Minister of SOEs Erick Thohir for mass production of ivermectin so that it was easily accessible to the public.

"Alhamdulillah, it turns out that ivermectin was proposed by one of the pharmaceutical SOEs, namely Indofarma, which was encouraged by the Minister of SOEs, Erick Thohir, to be pushed into a local mass product, so that it becomes a cheap drug and is easily accessible to the public," concluded Lukman Edy.