Erick Thohir Brings Good News, He Ensures Access To Cheap Medicines Realizes National Health Independence

Minister of SOEs, Erick Thohir. (Photo: Doc. Ministry of SOEs)

JAKARTA - SOE Minister Erick Thohir ensures access to cheap medicines for the people in the context of realizing national health independence.

"Health independence must occur. We are not anti-foreign, not anti-expensive medicine, but we also have to ensure access to cheap medicine for the people. For those who can afford expensive medicine, please, but it cannot be generalized when people who can't afford it must be the same. with those who can afford it," said Erick Thohir in commemoration of the 97th anniversary of Husada Hospital, quoted from Antara, Friday, January 28.

The Minister of SOEs said that access to cheap drugs for the community is a service to the community.

Erick Thohir also emphasized that the era of health disruption must be a momentum for introspection to achieve independence.

"Health disruption must be our introspection for independence. When the raw materials for medicines are 95 percent imported, only expensive medicines can be given to all of us," he said.

Previously, SOE Minister Erick Thohir said to suppress imports of medicinal raw materials, SOE Indofarma would focus on developing the herbal industry.

Erick Thohir assesses that Indonesia has a nature and culture that supports the development of the herbal industry.

Currently, the Ministry of SOEs has consolidated the SOE health cluster. This is to create an ecosystem that can strengthen health resilience and independence. The Ministry of SOE has also merged Bio Farma as a holding company that oversees Kimia Farma, Indofarma, and a number of hospitals under the Indonesia Healthcare Corporation (IHC).

With this, Bio Farma is expected to be able to open up new opportunities in the health industry, such as the vaccination industry.