JAKARTA - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said the COVID-19 antiviral drug Molnuvirapir made by the pharmaceutical company from the United States, Merck, was priced below IDR 1 million.
"Our calculations are between 40 and 50 dollars, so it's not too expensive below IDR 1 million", said Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin at the Commission IX Hearing Meeting (RDP) which was attended by the Indonesian House of Representatives YouTube in Jakarta, reported by Antara, Monday, 8 November.
Budi said Molnupiravir can be consumed by confirmed COVID-19 patients with oxygen saturation levels above 95 or mild symptoms. "So if he is positive but the saturation is still above 94/95, given this drug, the results of clinical trials abroad can be 50 percent cured. Do not go to the hospital", he said.
Budi said the consumption of Molnuvirapir was carried out for five days during the healing process, each as many as eight tablets. "So it takes about 40 tablets", he said.
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The government is trying to bring in around 600,000 to 1 million Molnuvirapir drugs at an early stage in December 2021 through a direct purchase scheme from producers.
"This Molnuvirapir has already given its license to eight factories in India for production", he said.
Budi believes that the presence of the drug in the country can provide readiness for Indonesia to face the next wave of COVID-19. "Hopefully it doesn't happen, but if it happens, at least we have stock first", he said.
The government has also taken preparations for the fulfillment of COVID-19 drugs in the long term, said Budi, by applying for a license to producers Merck or The Medicines Patent Pool (MPP), which is now a member of the United Nations.
"Merck has asked the United Nations or a body called MPP to grant him the grand patent so we can get in touch with them", he said.
Budi said the process had entered the finalization stage. The government also involves state-owned and private companies for production in Indonesia.
"Thankfully, it can be done quickly, hopefully, next year we can make it here so that it strengthens our health resilience system", he said.
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