JAKARTA - The government through the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) and the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP) has set the highest price limit for the rapid antigen swab test. The price for the rapid antigen test was determined because of complaints from the public regarding the different test prices at each hospital.
Secretary of the Directorate General of Health Services of the Ministry of Health, Azhar Jaya, said that the Ministry of Health and BPKP calculated a number of components to determine the highest price, including services, materials and administrative costs.
"The maximum tariff limit for an antigen rapid test is IDR 250 thousand in Java, outside Java, IDR 275 thousand. Antigen swabs are believed to have more accurate results than an antibody rapid test. According to the policy, this is done to prevent transmission of the COVID-19 virus during the long Christmas holidays and New Year, "he said, during a joint press conference with the Ministry of Health and BPKP at the Gandhi Hall, BPKP Office, East Jakarta, Friday, December 18.
Azhar explained, the swab antigen rapid test is a rapid test to detect the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus antigen in samples originating from the respiratory tract. The antigen will be detected when the virus is actively replicating.
This test is best done when a person has recently been infected because before a person's antibodies appear to fight a virus that enters the body, there is a role for antigens to study it. The presence of the antigen is what is detected.
Meanwhile, the Director of Supervision for the Defense and Security Sector, Faisal said, BPKP as the state's internal audit agency will supervise and control all activities related to handling COVID-19 and restoring the national economy.
"In carrying out the supervision, we obtained information including the implementation of the rapid antigen swab test because it is in accordance with the task that has been assigned to the BPKP. We will supervise the price of the antigen swab rapid test," he said.
As is well known, the implementation of the mandatory rapid antigen test or PCR policy was carried out in Java and Bali during the Christmas and New Year periods, namely 18 December 2020 to 8 January 2021.
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