Regarding The Price Of The Swab Test, The COVID-19 Task Force: The Laboratory Can Take Profit But The Amount Is Limited

Swab test illustration (Wardhany Tsa No / VOI)

JAKARTA - The government has not yet knocked on the hammer regarding the base price for a swab test to detect COVID-19. On this basis, the COVID-19 Handling Task Force reminded laboratory managers not to profit massively by taking advantage of this pandemic.

"Profiting must also be done, but in a limited amount because this is a pandemic," said Wiku Adisasmito, spokesman for the COVID-19 Task Force, in an online press conference broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat YouTube account, Thursday, October 1.

Wiku said the government had received a proposal from the BPKP regarding the price of the swab in the range of IDR 439 thousand to IDR 797 thousand. However, the government is currently still conducting studies so that the price of this swab test will not be a burden for the community in the future.

In addition, another consideration that is still being studied by the government is that this price must be right so that more swab tests are carried out but still in accordance with the costs incurred by the laboratory.

"We will announce it later, when the study has been completed," he said.

In line with Wiku, the Ministry of Health also admits that it continues to discuss the cost of this swab test. Head of the Communication and Community Service Bureau of the Ministry of Health, Widyawati, said that this process is ongoing and does not stagnate in his ministry.

"(The basic price of the swab test, red) is being discussed," he said when contacted by VOI.

When asked about what difficulties made this discussion take so long, Widyawati was reluctant to answer further. But certainly, the discussion has been completed with a number of parties including the laboratory, so it will be announced soon.

"We'll just wait for the results of the discussion," he said.

Previously, the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) had proposed a price swab test. This proposal was given to meet the demand for uniform test prices in all hospitals.

Chairman of the COVID-19 Task Force Doni Monardo said BPKP provided two price estimates. Namely contractual and independent prices.

"We convey that the BPKP has provided an estimate for the contractual price of Rp.439 thousand per specimen. Meanwhile, for an independent one, the BPKP proposal is Rp.797 thousand," Doni said in a press conference held online on the YouTube account of the Presidential Secretariat, Monday, September 28.

However, this is only a proposal. Currently, the proposal, he said, is still being discussed. Including the Ministry of Health, which also discussed the uniformity of swab test prices in all hospitals.

"So that the figure will not be burdensome to the community but not detrimental to entrepreneurs engaged in laboratory inspection services," said Doni.