Allegations Of Paracetamol Triggering Death Attempts, DPR: The Government Must Be Firm, Not Abu-Abu!

Daily Chairperson of the Gerindra Party DPP Sufmi Dasco Ahmad. (Nailin NS-VOI)

JAKARTA - Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, asked the government to be firm in making decisions on whether or not the use of Paracetamol is allowed for the treatment of Indonesian children. Paracetamol is suspected to be the trigger for mysterious kidney failure, where victims of death continue to rise in the country.

"The government must take a firm stance. Do not appeal on the one hand, but on the other hand there is a statement from the Deputy Minister of Health that paracetamol is safe. The choice is only permissible or not. If it is deemed not allowed, then make a ban immediately, not an appeal again. So it is not gray," Dasco told reporters, Thursday, October 20.

In addition, Dasco continued, the government must also provide alternative drugs after a strict ban. Because, according to him, paracetamol has become the main drug for various diseases in the family. "Of course, when paracetamol is not temporarily sold, then there is a need for paracetamol, it has other options," he said.

Therefore, the daily chairman of the Gerindra Party DPP reminded the public not only to be given statements from various parties, such as from ministries, officials, doctor organizations and also expert analysis. However, said Dasco, a firm decision is also needed while waiting for research to provide alternative drugs. "So there is no confusion. Unaffirmation will cause various negative reactions and slander. So decide immediately, yes or no, not appeals, let alone unnecessary debates," said Dasco.

Previously, the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) banned doctors and other health workers from prescribing drugs in liquid form. This prohibition is part of vigilance amid soaring cases of acute kidney failure that mostly attack children in Indonesia.

This is stated in the Circular (SE) of the Ministry of Health Number SR.01.05/III/3461/2022 concerning Atypical Progressive Acute Kidney Injury or Obligation to Investigation Epidemiology and Reporting Cases of Atypical Acute Kidney Disorder in Children.

"Health workers at health care facilities have temporarily not prescribed drugs in the form of liquid/ruption preparations until an official announcement from the Government is made in accordance with the provisions of the legislation," the SE reads.

The same SE also prohibits all pharmacies in Indonesia from selling free drugs in the form of▁berkaitans to the public. The drugs that are prohibited from being sold include all types of drugs in the form ofrah or liquid, are not limited to the drug paracetamol alone.

Alternatively, people who need medicine can switch to taking tablets, capsules, anals and others. But on the other hand, Deputy Minister of Health Dante Saksono said Paracetamol is still safe to use. Dante said the government highlighted the content of glycol ethilen (EG) in liquid Paracetamol. "Not Paracetamol which is not safe, but there is Paracetamol containing EG," said Dante, Wednesday, October 19. He said, concoction drugs and Paracetamol remain safe. However, he advised the public to go to the doctor to get medicine.