Jumbo Budget, Government Asked To Stop Dependence On Medical Device Imports!

MPR Chairman Bambang Soesatyo (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the MPR RI Bambang Soesatyo appealed to the government to immediately stop the dependence on the supply of medical devices from other countries or imports.

According to Bamsoet, it is time for the government to pay serious attention to the domestic pharmaceutical and medical device industry. Moreover, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the pharmaceutical and medical device industry sector is in the high demand category.

"People are increasingly aware of the importance of maintaining health. Don't let the public's concern for the health sector be enjoyed by foreigners," said Bamsoet in Jakarta, Tuesday, June 8.

Furthermore, the chairman of the 20th Indonesian House of Representatives explained that in 2021 the government will prepare a health budget of up to IDR 300 trillion.

According to the Indonesian Medical Device Association (Gakeslab), referring to data from the Ministry of Finance, the budget in the 2019 State Budget for the procurement of medical equipment in government hospitals is around Rp. 9 trillion. In 2020 it increased to IDR 18 trillion due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"When combined with the APBD, BUMN, and private budgets, the total expenditure on medical devices in Indonesia averages around Rp. 50 trillion per year. It is unfortunate if the Alkes procurement budget is enjoyed by foreign Alkes manufacturers," said Bamsoet.

The head of the FKPPI State Defense Agency added that based on data from the Ministry of Industry, the ability of the pharmaceutical industry in Indonesia is currently supported by 220 companies. As many as 90 percent of these pharmaceutical companies focus on the downstream sector in producing drugs. The challenge is that the government must continue to strive to suppress imports of raw material procurement, especially in the upstream sector of the pharmaceutical industry.

"The government's target to reduce imports of pharmaceuticals and medical devices by 35 percent by the end of 2022 must be accompanied by policies that are friendly to the pharmaceutical and medical device industry. So that it can be realized, and does not end on paper," said the senior Golkar politician.

The Deputy Chairperson of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry revealed that the Patients Beyond Borders research shows that Indonesians are very fond of seeking treatment abroad.

The increase is quite sharp, from 350 thousand people who seek treatment abroad in 2006 to 600 thousand in 2015. The total annual expenditure spent by the Indonesian population for treatment abroad can reach USD 11.5 billion, 80 percent of which is spent in Malaysia.

"In addition to being cheaper and providing more convenient services, Indonesians choose to go abroad for treatment because of the complete medical equipment. Even though with human resources and hospital resources, Indonesia can actually become a host for its citizens for treatment," he said. "

"In fact, Indonesia should be able to become a major player in medical tourism, becoming a comfortable place for the world's citizens to seek treatment," concluded Bamsoet.