JAKARTA - The number of COVID-19 cases in the country has continued to increase in recent times. This spike in cases makes the availability of oxygen in some areas depleted and limited. One of them is in Bangka Belitung. In fact, the price is much higher 3 times than at the beginning of the 2020 pandemic.
Head of KPPU Regional II Office Wahyu Bekti Anggoro said that based on observations in the five provinces of the working area including Lampung, Bengkulu, Bangka Belitung, South Sumatra and Jambi, an increase in oxygen prices was observed.
"For the price and oxygen cylinders in our five working provinces, Regional Office II for 1 cubic meter cylinders, the current price in the five provinces we surveyed has reached a 3-fold increase compared to prices at the beginning of the pandemic or in the middle of 2020," he said, in a virtual press conference, Wednesday, July 7.
Bekti said, in Lampung province at the beginning of the pandemic, the price of oxygen was around Rp. 700,000 for a tube measuring 1 cubic meter. However, the current price has reached Rp. 2 million.
"On average, everything has increased and the worst we may see is in Bangka Belitung, which in the middle of 2020 was Rp. 950,000, now the figure has reached Rp. 4 million," he said.
Low availability
Bekti said oxygen stocks are currently still available in five provinces that are included in the Regional Office II area. However, he admits that it is limited because it is needed by hospitals and health services or Yankes.
"If we compare it with the initial (condition) of the pandemic, the stock is still available and the price is cheap," he said.
For 500 cc portable oxygen, said Bekti, the price is almost the same in all work areas from Lampung to Jambi, around Rp. 50,000. Stock is also available.
"As for the refill of oxygen per cubic meter, all of our five working areas are the same. The cost is the same Rp. 50,000 per cubic meter. However, the stock is available and limited," he explained.
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