JAKARTA – Indonesian Competition Committee (lit. Komisi Pengawas Persaingan Usaha/KPPU) keeps an eye on potential violations in business competition within several parties regarding the supply, distribution, and pricing of essential products aiming to medicate COVID-19 patients. Guntur Saraih, Vice President of KPPU, relays the news in a press conference, quoted Thursday (8/7).
It is mentioned that the monitoring of the potential violation of the pricing system for the said essential goods for COVID-19 treatment is carried out in seven provinces. They include all provinces in Java, Bali, and Lampung. “The potential abuse in the production and distribution lines are very high amidst the current pandemic situation,” Saraih claims.
According to Saraih, KPPU receives several reports of a scarcity of oxygen supplies and the surge in the highest retail price (HET) of COVID-19 treatment drugs. The drugs in question are favipiravir 200 mg dan Azithromycin Tablet 500 mg.
Furthermore, the committee would investigate several parties regarding the surge in COVID-19 medication and medical equipment prices. Should there be evidence of abuse, KPPU would apply a 10% fine of the total product sales, as stated in Act No. 11/2020 about Job Creation and Government Regulation No.44/2021. (LK/ZH)