Government Imports COVID-19 Drugs, DPR Reminds Supervision Of Drug Distribution Channels

JAKARTA - The government will import three types of COVID-19 drugs which are currently rare and cannot be produced domestically, including Remdesivir, Actemra, and Gamaras from July to August.

Regarding the import of this drug, Member of Commission IX of the DPR RI, Netty Prasetiyani Aher, reminded the government to ensure that the import policy has gone through a thorough examination. "The government must ensure that the import of drugs is carried out after checking that there are no problems in drug distribution channels, such as stockpiling or other obstacles that cause drug shortages," said Netty, Friday, July 30.

According to the PKS politician, the government must strictly monitor drug distribution channels, from pharmaceutical industry and wholesalers, importers to pharmacies and drug stores. If necessary, use information technology and optimize e-catalogs to check the availability of drugs and their selling prices. As well as conducting periodic field inspections by involving the security forces. "Make sure everything is under control so that no one dares to mess around in the distribution of drugs," said Netty. Netty also asked the government to encourage the domestic pharmaceutical industry to produce needed drugs independently. In a pandemic situation where these medicines are needed worldwide, he said, it would be difficult if we depended on imports. "The domestic pharmaceutical industry must be able to produce itself in sufficient quantities," he said.

Netty also questioned how to continue research on COVID-19 drugs and vaccines by the nation's children. Moreover, Kimia Farma has produced its own drugs. "Drug imports are carried out to meet urgent and short-term needs to save the people. So imports are not for business purposes. Therefore, in the long term, research on COVID-19 drugs and vaccines must continue to be carried out and encouraged. We do not know when this pandemic will occur. over," said Netty.