JAKARTA - The Business Competition Supervision Commission (KPPU) stated that one of the provinces in Indonesia was experiencing a shortage of 20 tons of oxygen for handling the COVID-19 pandemic and this had occurred since early July 2021. The provision was East Kalimantan.
Head of Regional Office V of KPPU Kalimantan Manaek SM Pasaribu said that one of the oxygen producers in the area, namely PT Samator, was only able to produce oxygen as much as 30 tons per month. Meanwhile, during the COVID-19 pandemic, demand soared to 50 tons per month.
"From the first week of July 2021, the oxygen stock measuring one cubic meter is very limited and the previous stock was focused on hospitals and health centers," he said in a virtual press conference, Friday, July 30.
Manaek said, until July 27, 2021, the availability of oxygen stocks in several medical equipment stores and pharmacies was observed to be empty. After conducting a search on the marketplace, he explained that there were no traders selling cylinders or oxygen with a size of one cubic meter.
Furthermore, Manaek said this condition was very concerning because the number of COVID-19 sufferers continued to soar. As a result, health facilities and hospitals are experiencing an oxygen crisis. This is because the existing stock is insufficient and even medical personnel must prioritize oxygen for critical patients.
"The East Kalimantan Provincial Government has coordinated with the South Sulawesi Provincial Government regarding the plan to take oxygen by PT Samator from the area with one of the points being to facilitate access to the PT Samator ship route to take oxygen," he said.
Manaek also explained that another effort was made to anticipate the scarcity of oxygen, namely by forming an oxygen Task Force. He said, cooperation with state companies will also be carried out so that this problem can be immediately addressed.
"The East Kalimantan Provincial Government has formed an Oxygen Task Force and is coordinating with PT Pupuk Kaltim and PT Pertamina to procure oxygen because the company has the ability to produce oxygen," he said.
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