Erick Thohir: Synergize Local Ventilator Production With BUMN

BUMN Minister, Erick Thohir while visiting Pertamina Jaya Hospital. (Photo: Instagram @erickthohir)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) asked three BUMNs such as PT LEN (Persero), PT Pindad (Persero), PTDI (Persero), to produce breathing aids or ventilators. The existence of a ventilator is considered very important in handling COVID-19.

The BUMN Ministry also appointed PT Indofarma to absorb and distribute ventilator production from the three BUMNs engaged in the defense industry sector. Minister of BUMN, Erick Thohir conveyed this during his visit to finalize preparations for the Special Infection Hospital and PCR Laboratory at Pertamina Jaya Hospital.

"Today, hopefully what local ventilator makers from UI, BPPT, ITS, ITB, Balitbang ESDM and several national private companies will do to synergize with our defense industry yesterday. I tried to contact those in the defense industry yesterday. synergize, "said Erick Thohir, Thursday, April 16.

On that occasion, representatives from BKF and the Ministry of Health were also present. Erick sees dependence on Indonesian medicinal raw materials and medical devices from abroad as a problem for the nation when unusual situations occur, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"As the President said, we cannot depend on foreign countries, because our country is very large. Currently, 90 percent of the raw materials for our drug industry come from abroad, as well as medical devices, the majority from abroad," he said.

Erick is currently trying to reduce dependence on imports of medicinal raw materials and medical devices by encouraging local production, even on several occasions, he has repeatedly said that BUMN must be able to realize food security, energy security, and health security.

"Today we import 90 percent, next year 70 percent, next year 50 percent. I am not anti-import, there are some things that cannot be done, but what we can do, must be done," he added.

The BUMN Ministry has begun to consolidate strengthening health resilience by merging around 70 state-owned hospitals. The same thing is also applied to BUMNs engaged in the pharmaceutical sector. The BUMN Hospital Consolidation is currently able to produce 2,375 rooms ready to serve COVID-19 patients.

"Not only there, we also combine pharmaceuticals from (BUMN). What we are reviewing is how this can become a supply chain with BUMN hospitals in the future," he said.

He also quoted reports from The Economist magazine, that with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is an opportunity for countries that are committed to consolidating all their strengths to maintain the health supply chain in the country.

Erick assessed that it is time for Indonesia to seriously promote health resilience by making its own medicinal raw materials and medical devices. That way, according to Erick, Indonesia does not need to always import raw materials for drugs and medical devices.

Erick said the COVID-19 pandemic was a momentum for the nation to work together. Erick did not dismiss the enormous challenges in realizing the national industry, but this does not mean that it is impossible to do so.

"I hope the BUMN Ministry will continue to work together with other ministries, we must not have sectoral egos," he concluded.