DKI Evaluates Networking Laboratories Before Participating In The Swab Test Tariff Standard Of IDR 900 Thousand

Illustrations (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The price for an independent COVID-19 swab test has been determined by the Ministry of Health at IDR 900 thousand. However, currently this price has not been implemented in Jakarta.

Head of the DKI Health Service, Widyastuti, said that his party would first collect hospitals or health facilities that manage the COVID-19 examination laboratory network to evaluate the price of the previously valid COVID-19 swab test.

"We will make adjustments, gather all laboratory friends for us to evaluate. Binding regulations such as the health minister's regulations will be our reference for conducting evaluations," said Widyastuti to reporters, Tuesday, October 6.

Even so, Widyastuti will only coordinate the adjustment of the price of the swab test to the COVID-19 testing laboratory which is included in the DKI Provincial Government network.

"All the labs that have entered our network, we have 54 and then there are two more. For those outside, we don't recommend, we don't give recommendations," said Widyastuti.

Regarding the difference in the price of the swab test that has been charged differently in each health facility, said Widyastuti, it was due to different reagents for the test kit.

"There are several reagents that are also circulating under various brands. Some are large capacity, small capacity, and some of the reagent manufacturers are also from various countries," said Widyastuti.

"So, at that time, friends bought existing goods because they were needed, the important thing was standardized," he said.

Previously reported, Acting Director General of Health Services of the Ministry of Health, Abdul Kadir, announced that the cost for one swab test was set at Rp. 900 thousand.

This determination was made, so that the public could access this test in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic while still paying attention to the condition of the health facilities that held it.

"The Ministry of Health and BPKP agreed to have a mutual agreement on the upper limit of the cost of swab and independent PCR which we can be accountable for to assign to the community, namely Rp. 900 thousand," said Abdul.

Before the determination of this fee was taken, Abdul said that his party had conducted three discussions with the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) and carried out surveys and analyzes in various health facilities.

For reference in determining prices, these two institutions then calculate a number of things such as services to the price of the equipment used.

"We calculate the cost component which consists of services or human resources. For this service, of course we count doctors, clinical microbiologists, then extraction personnel, sampling services. Then the other components are consumables including PPE level 3. Besides that, we calculated the reagent price, namely the extraction price and the PCR itself, "he said.