Dismantling The Case Of Accounting For Acute Cells, Gerindra Legislators Proposing Joint Meetings Of Commission VI-IX, Ministry Of Health, Ministry Of Trade And BPOM

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Member of Commission VI of the DPR from the Gerindra faction, Andre Rosiade, proposed a joint meeting between Commission VI of the DPR and Commission IX of the DPR RI by inviting the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Trade, the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM), and the National Consumer Protection Agency. This joint meeting was to reveal what actually happened in the case of acute kidney failure that killed 178 Indonesian children. Initially, Andre highlighted BPOM which was considered to be throwing responsibility related to cases of acute kidney failure in children. The reason is, the Head of BPOM Penny Lukito dragged the Ministry of Trade in matters of importing chemical compounds such as PG and PEG to the country. "This is a matter of acute kidney failure, so our homework, sir, what we watched yesterday's Commission IX meeting, the Head of BPOM blamed the Ministry of Trade. So BPOM really threw away the responsibility of blaming the Ministry of Trade, even though the Ministry of Trade conveyed to us that importing drugs was a recommendation from the Ministry of Health," said Andre in a hearing with the Head of the National Consumer Protection Agency in the meeting room of Commission VI of the DPR, Thursday, November 3. According to Andre, BPOM does not seem to want to be blamed in the supervision of the circulation of sirop drugs which result in kidney failure in children. In fact, he said, from the start about vaccines, BPOM also took a long time to take care of. "This is an extraordinary bureaucracy, we even have data, it's interesting that BPOM should supervise the results of drug production. So every raw material that enters and becomes a drug is monitored by BPOM, is this feasible or not? Is this dangerous for health or not? This is the Ministry of Trade only issues import approvals if there are recommendations from the Ministry of Health," he explained. "So suddenly, BPOM throws the body away to the Ministry of Trade. We want you as consumer protection to explain research, if my analysis is the inability of the head of BPOM and its institutions. And we should use this as a momentum for a joint meeting because we have thrown stones and hidden hands, the leadership," continued Andre. In the meeting held by Commission IX of the DPR, Andre continued, the BPOM had openly blamed the Ministry Trade. According to him, this problem must be resolved in a joint meeting with the Ministry of Health, Commission IX, BPOM and the Ministry of Trade. "If it turns out that BPOM is wrong, we recommend Jokowi replace it with the head of BPOM," said the Gerindra legislator for the West Sumatra electoral district. Previously, BPOM dragged the Ministry of Trade (Kemendag) in matters of importing chemical compounds such as PG and PEG into Indonesia. Head of BPOM Penny K Lukito said BPOM only conducts checks on pharmaceutical grade raw materials that fall into the prohibition and restriction category (Lartas). According to Penny, these items must obtain a BPOM permit through an Import Certificate (SKI) before being brought to Indonesia. "The raw materials generally enter through SKI BPOM. Especially for PG and PEG solvents, the entry is not through SKI BPOM, but through the Ministry of Trade, non-larg," said Penny in a Working Meeting with Commission IX, Wednesday, November 3.