The Presidential Staff Office Oversees The Procurement And Distribution Of COVID-19 Drugs

JAKARTA - The Presidential Staff Office (KSP) oversees the procurement and distribution of COVID-19 drugs, including the import of raw materials for drugs and medicines needed to treat patients with coronavirus infection.

"I've been monitoring and seeing that there are some issues. Starting from the scarcity of imported drugs, transportation problems due to limited cargo, and customs clearance or inspection which takes seven to 10 days", said Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko in a virtual coordination meeting quoted by Antara, Thursday, July 29.

Moeldoko had already conveyed the problem in the procurement of the COVID-19 drug in a limited meeting with President Joko Widodo.

"I have raised the problem in a limited meeting. For transportation, there will be support from the National Armed Force (TNI), then the issue of customs clearance must be accelerated", said Moeldoko.

"We need detailed information regarding what we want to import, how much, and what kind, so that it can be accommodated properly and we will speed up the process immediately", he added.

Moeldoko said the government would facilitate the transportation of medicines and medical devices imported from abroad.

“With this convenience facility, please make good use of it because we want the availability of drugs to be fulfilled immediately. But this convenience should not be used for personal gain, or you will have to face me later", he continued.

Meanwhile, the Director of Pharmaceutical Production and Distribution of the Directorate General of Pharmacy and Medical Devices at the Ministry of Health, Agusdini Banun Saptaningsih, conveyed the need for several drugs to treat COVID-19 patients.

"If we look at this, there is still a need for medicine. Examples are Remdesivir, and Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG). However, we have coordinated with the drug industry and embassies abroad to get supplies”, Agusdini said.

According to her, the supply of Intravenous Immunoglobulin will be obtained through Iran and the delivery is likely to be done at the end of August 2021. While Remdesivir will be imported from India, Egypt, and Bangladesh.

“Actually, the average pharmaceutical industry already has a flight schedule and has customs for each country. But there are transportation difficulties to pick it up", she said.

"Meanwhile, there are other examples such as PT Kalbe Farma which can produce Favipiravir but the raw materials still have to be imported from China", said Agusdini.

Meanwhile, the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Cecep Herawan also expressed the need for transportation support in efforts to procure COVID-19 drugs.

“Indeed, many goods are sent directly by countries and entities to Indonesia. But there are those who need transportation support to pick up the goods. For example, there are several in Singapore and China that we have to take ourselves", said Cecep.

Meanwhile, Assistant Operations to the TNI Commander Maj. Gen. Syafruddin said the Hercules transport plane had been prepared to help transport medicines and medical devices for handling COVID-19.

“From 28 Hercules transport planes, we will prepare four planes to pick up medicines and medical devices in India and China. We are currently waiting for the pickup schedule. We hope we can get a schedule sooner so that we can prepare”, said Syafruddin.