Again, Banning All Sirop Drugs, DKI Health Office: Minister Of Health's Directives

Pharmaceutical personnel mix drugs at the University of Indonesia Hospital, Depok, West Java, Friday/ANTARA

JAKARTA - Head of the Epidemiological Surveillance and Immunization Section of the Jakarta Health Service, Ngabila Salama, explained the reason her party again forbade the public to use sirop drugs. This prohibition is carried out to prevent cases of progressive atypical acute kidney failure. In fact, previously the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) had released 156 types of sirop drugs that were safe for use by the public. Ngabila said that this ban was issued based on the latest directive from the Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, two days ago. This refers to the case of acute kidney failure that is still found. "The latest directive from the Minister of Health, (cirruption drugs) were stopped all of them. So, the Minister of Health two days ago issued a WhatsApp directive, it is not allowed (to use) sirop except for dry sirops that are dissolved with water," said Ngabila in a short message, Monday, November 7th. If the child is sick, the DKI Health Office recommends that parents do initial treatment to meet the needs of fluids, warm water compresses, and wear thin clothes on their children. Then, people can use other forms of medicinal preparation, but with doctor consultations, such as tablets, capsules, or Puyer; suppositoria (anal); injection (injection); and infusion. Meanwhile, the Spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, Mohammad Syahril, revealed that currently there are 156 types of sirop drugs that are safe to use. This is because these drugs have passed a study conducted by the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM). "BPOM has conducted rapid research on these 156 drugs. Well, it is considered that 156 (drugs) are safe to reuse, which is in accordance with the circular from the Director General of Health Services at the Ministry of Health. So, please use it," said Syahril in a virtual press conference, Monday, November 7th. Then, the Ministry of Health instructed all levels of health services in the provinces to regencies/cities to oversee the circulation, spread, and use of sirop drugs outside of the 156 lists of permitted drugs. "Outside of that, all health services (instructed) to monitor that there are no health workers, pharmacies, drug stores that use outside of the 156 drugs, until later there will be further announcements of any liquid drugs that are considered safe," explained Syahril.