Luhut Reviews the 'Mobile Car' For COVID-19 Test: Important Innovation To Prevent Spread

Luhut Pandjaitan while reviewing the Bio Safety Level 2 Mobile Lab, the work of the Research and Technology Innovation Task Force Team for Handling Covid-19 (TFRIC19), in Jakarta, Monday, January 25. (Photo: Doc. Kemenko Marves)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister (Menko) for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan who is also the Deputy of the Committee for Handling COVID-19 and National Economic Recovery (KPC PEN) reviewed the Bio Safety Level 2 Mobile Lab created by the Research and Technology Innovation Task Force Team for Handling COVID -19 (TFRIC19).

The Bio Safety Mobile Lab is a collaborative research laboratory in several fields of technology, as an innovative product of the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) which can be used as a PCR examination and can produce test results within four hours. Practically, the laboratory can move from place to place.

"At present we must continue to work and innovate and this is highly appreciated. One of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic is the emergence of various innovations that can support the government's efforts to reduce the spread rate," said Coordinating Minister Luhut in a written statement, quoted from Antara, Monday. January 25th.

Coordinating Minister Luhut reviewed the mobile PCR test lab with the Minister of Research and Technology / Head of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) Bambang S Brodjonegoro and the Head of BPPT Hammam Riza in the parking lot of the BPPT Building, Jakarta.

The construction of the Bio Safety Mobile Lab requires a cost of Rp. 3 billion-Rp. 6 billion depending on the completeness of the equipment and will be encouraged to be more affordable so that it can be purchased by various institutions, local governments, and the private sector through the CSR program. It is planned that the Mobile Lab will be sent first to Tangerang, Banten.

"Based on the suggestion from the Minister of Research and Technology Bambang, we can put this mobile lab in various provinces with high positive confirmation rates, so as to reduce the rate of increase in these numbers," added Coordinating Minister Luhut.

In addition to the Bio Safety Mobile Lab, in the health sector, BPPT is completing the Detail Engineering Design (DED) for the construction of the Herbal Science and Technology Park and Horti Center (TSTH2C) which will act as a research and engineering center as well as superior seeds for herbal and horticultural plants.

"The current government has encouraged the development of Herbal Center development by working with various agencies, both at home and abroad, to make TSTH the largest and most advanced in Asia," said Coordinating Minister Luhut.

According to Luhut, the development of various technologies, both the mobile lab and the Herbal Center program, needs to be continuously improved in order to achieve mutual success.

"We must be compact and integrated, and most importantly we must be proud that this is an original made in Indonesia," concluded Luhut.