DPR Commission IX Working Meeting, Ministry Of Industry Reveals Standard Materials For Pharmaceutical Industry Still Depends On Imports

Acting Director General of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Textile Industries (IKFT) of the Ministry of Industry Reni Yanita (right). (Photo: Screenshot/Theresia Agatha)

JAKARTA - Acting (Plt) Director General of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Textile Industries (IKFT) of the Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) Reni Yanita said the national pharmaceutical industry is still finding obstacles to this day.

Reni said that one of the obstacles was the limited national raw materials for the pharmaceutical industry in the country.

Thus, Indonesia still relies heavily on imports of raw materials.

"Because frankly, the pharmaceutical industry's activities earlier, to take care of the Import Certificate (SKI) only took a long time. Then, when he (the national pharmaceutical industry manufacturer) prepared an equipment machine, he took care of the SKI," said Reni in the agenda of the Working Committee Meeting (Panja) Supervision of the Security and Drug Quality System of Commission IX DPR RI at the Parliament Complex, Jakarta, Monday, June 24.

He assessed that sometimes pharmaceutical industry manufacturers have prepared their production equipment, but are still constrained by SKI which has not been issued by the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM).

"But, sometimes the timing is not right. As soon as the equipment is ready, the SKI has not been published. For that, the industry also needs time to start the production process. If the language is 'delay' who don't know when it will be published, that's it," he said.

Through this Panja Meeting, Reni hopes that all stakeholders can work together to solve the problem.

"Through this opportunity too, maybe we can work together and also with the growth of the national raw material industry for sure, right, we want them to continue to grow and increase expansion," said Reni.

"As a result, there is a new investment, he does not need to import the raw materials," he continued.

Reni said that currently Indonesia already has 23 national pharmaceutical industries.

So, said Reni, his party will continue to encourage the growth of the new national pharmaceutical industry in the future.

Thus, it is hoped that it can reduce the import rate of raw materials for pharmaceutical industry activities in the country.

"When we can take care of this. Then he expands, so over time we reduce imports and also cut the time to take care of the SKI. In the future, we are also happy that all are also aware of research," he said.

According to Reni, the government must be present at the research activity in question. Thus, the independence of the national pharmaceutical industry can really be realized.

"For research, the government should be present in it. Maybe it is for our independence together in the future. Those that can be produced domestically, we are trying to shop for the government to use domestic products," he added.