Prepare Free COVID-19 Medicines For Asymptomatic Patients And Mild Symptoms, Luhut Prepares 300 Thousand Packages

Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan. (Photo: Doc. Kemenko Marves)

JAKARTA - The government plans to distribute COVID-19 therapeutic drugs soon to asymptomatic patients and mild symptoms. Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, said the move was by the direction of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

The drugs are distributed in the form of packages based on mild symptoms such as fever, anosmia, and dementia. This drug package will reach almost 210,000 COVID-19 asymptomatic patients (OTG) and mild symptoms.

"The president has decided that starting on Wednesday this week, we will launch 300,000 drug packages for OTG, and also for classes of diseases that are still not serious. OTG is 10 percent, fever and anosmia packages are 60 percent, and fever and cough are 30 percent", he said in the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube show, Monday, July 12.

The coordinator of the Java-Bali Emergency PPKM also said the drug would be given to individuals who are categorized as active cases of COVID-19 over the coming months.

"We give it and it will last for the next few months. This will be given later by the TNI together with other elements. The procedure has been prepared so that it can work", he said.

In addition, Luhut said currently only the drugs Remdesivir and Atemra were experiencing shortages. Meanwhile, Actemra is planned to be produced domestically soon.

"Soon we and Minister of Health, Budi will discuss Actemra's license so that it can be produced domestically. I think this is already running", he explained.

Previously, Luhut emphasized that the condition for getting treatment for COVID-19 patients from the government was to show the results of a PCR swab test.

"My advice is later that 2,200 doctors who are recruited and coordinated by the Task Force (TNI Head of Health Center) led by the TNI Commander, can manage all these flows", he said.

Meanwhile, TNI Commander, Hadi Tjahjanto stated his party's readiness to develop a mechanism for recording, distributing, and socializing the drugs.

"For sub-districts and villages, we will certainly continue to coordinate with doctors and village midwives to educate patients, and Babinsa (Village Advisory Officer) will also help later", said Commander Hadi.