JAKARTA - The Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) is encouraging the medical device and pharmaceutical industries to meet public demand for health products. At present, the demand for products from both sectors is increasing to handle the Covid-19 outbreak.
"The medical equipment and pharmaceutical industry is a sector that is in the high demand category. This condition needs to be put to good use, to realize Indonesia's independence in the health and pharmaceutical sector, "said Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita in a virtual meeting with the Association of Indonesian Medical Devices Manufacturers (ASPAKI) and the Association of Pharmaceutical Entrepreneurs, Wednesday (5/13) .
The high demand can be seen from the number of drugs and medical devices that have been used to overcome the Covid-19 pandemic. The Minister of Industry said, to date, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has distributed around 8 million medical devices such as personal protective equipment (PPE), googles, medical gloves, masks, rapid test equipment, and others for handling Covid-19 outbreak. In addition, 10 million tablets of medicines and vitamins have been distributed.
To encourage the development of the domestic drug raw material industry, the Ministry of Industry will immediately issue a Ministerial regulation specifically regulating the procedures for calculating TKDN for pharmaceutical products. The new rules will support the development of raw materials and pharmaceutical research in the country. (LM)