President Jokowi Opens The National Working Meeting Of The Indonesian Pharmacists Association (IAI), Today, November 5, 2020

President Jokowi virtually inaugurated the Indonesian Pharmacists Association Working Meeting from the State Palace on November 5, 2020. (Twitter/@setkabgoid)

JAKARTA - Today, two years ago, November 5, 2020, President Jokowi inaugurated the National Working Meeting (Rakernas) of the Indonesian Pharmacists Association (IAI). The inauguration was held virtually from the State Palace.

Jokowi also advised all IAI members a lot. Jokowi wants Indonesia to be able to carry out massive reforms to the national health system. Indonesia must be able to provide 90 percent of medicinal raw materials. Even pharmacists invited by Jokowi to be actively involved in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Jokowi's desire to reform the national health system cannot be dammed. He considers reforming the national health system is the main key for Indonesia to be empowered. Indonesia must be able to provide its own raw materials for medicine. At least 90 percent.

That is the message he conveyed at the virtual inauguration of the IAI National Working Meeting from the State Palace on November 5, 2020. Jokowi understands very well that most of the raw materials for existing drugs are imported from abroad. This condition is quite sad.

Especially if you look at Indonesia which is rich in biodiversity. If it is not taken seriously, then Indonesia will again be left behind with friendly countries. However, if reforms are carried out immediately, the flow of major changes will approach Indonesia.

The domestic pharmaceutical industry will grow. Therefore, Indonesia will not lack raw materials, or must wait for it to be imported from abroad first.

We know that around 90 percent of medicines and medicinal raw materials still rely on imports. Even though our country is very rich in biodiversity, both on land and in the ocean. This is clearly a waste of state foreign exchange, increasing the current account deficit, and preventing the domestic pharmaceutical industry from growing properly.

Therefore, being independent in medicines and medical devices must be our priority together. And it must be done in an extraordinary way, synergizing all the strengths of the nation, both scientists, professionals, and the industrial world," said President Jokowi as quoted by the Cabinet Secretariat.

Not only that. Jokowi also spoke at length regarding the COVID-19 pandemic that is endemic in Indonesia. Jokowi wants all health workers, especially pharmacists to work hand in hand to break the chain of the spread of COVID-19.

Instead of being trapped in a puddle of doubt, all health workers must immediately rise up. Research activities are being reproduced. Everything is to generate innovations in the pharmaceutical industry. Because that is the main key for Indonesia to win against the virus from Wuhan.

The COVID-19 pandemic has given us a lot of wisdom. This pandemic has raised a sense of our crisis in the pharmaceutical world to spur research activities, to develop innovations, to revitalize the domestic drug raw material industry, to strengthen the manufacturing structure of our pharmaceutical industry," concluded President Jokowi.