The Right Momentum to Revive Local Pharmaceutical Industry

The Right Momentum to Revive Local Pharmaceutical Industry

Jakarta. The current COVID-19 pandemic forces all countries to provide prompt response, including in providing medications. In order to ensure the success of this cause, the local pharmaceutical industry has to assume the central role as one of the pillars of the development of national health.

Problems in supply chain has become one of the problems that needs to be solved. Indonesia’s pharmaceutical industry greatly relies upon the import and export of raw materials and equipment, and it has been a great concern during the current pandemic. 

Pietradewi Hartrianti, a faculty member at the Department of Pharmacy at Indonesia International Institute for Life Sciences (i3L) stated that Indonesia has been relying significantly on the import of raw materials from China and India. This high reliance on import causes the decrease in competitiveness of medications produced in Indonesia.

Kimia Farma (Persero) Tbk., a state-owned pharmaceutical company, has made an effort to produce its own raw materials since 2016 through their subsidiary PT. Kimia Farma Sungwun Pharmacopia (KFSP). However, that production is still on a relatively small scale. 

“The facility that we have now is only limited to eight raw materials, but those materials are not related to the treatment or therapy for COVID-19,” Pietradewi explained in her official statement.

Pietradewi explained that there has yet to be any step taken to anticipate the stop of the production of those raw materials. On top of that, the replacement of producers of raw materials need to go through a re-registration process at Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan (BPOM). 

“The pharmaceutical industry usually relies on several different suppliers of raw materials from different countries which are registered. However, if the import of product is stopped, the production of medications is then threatened,“ explained Pietradewi.

Pietradewi added that another state-owned pharmaceutical company, PT. Bio Farma (Persero), has the capacity to produce vaccines. However, the raw materials to produce vaccines still need to be acquired through import. 

“Problems do not only rise from Indonesia’s limited capacity to produce pharmaceutical raw materials, but also Indonesia’s limited capacity to provide chemical and biological materials to synthesize and purify when we still rely on the import of raw materials,“ explained Pietradewi.

The Right Momentum

The current COVID-19 pandemic can be the right momentum for Indonesia to revive and strengthen the national health industry. Indonesia can also then free themselves from the reliance on the import of health products.

Leonny Yulita Hartiadi, the head of the Department of Pharmacy at Indonesia International Institute for Life Sciences (i3L) explained that when COVID-19 first reached Indonesia, there had been a scarcity in items which can help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. These items include hand sanitizer, alcohol, masks, protective clothing, supplements and multivitamins.

However, as time passes, Indonesia’s pharmaceutical industry has been able to adapt to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The government has given us permission to easily import raw materials and equipment to produce medications. The process of permit approval for medical equipment companies has also been made short. This support from the government has been significantly helping in fulfilling the need for medications and medical equipment in Indonesia,” Leonny stated in her official statement. 

Leonny added that, in the future, the government is expected to produce more medical equipment to treat COVID-19. The industry that produces medications, pharmacy, protective clothing, masks and ventilators needs to also be supported. This is in line with President Joko Widodo’s Presidential Instruction (Instruksi Presiden) (Inpres) number 6, 2016, to support the independence and improve the competitiveness of the local pharmaceutical and medical equipment industry.

Jakarta. The current COVID-19 pandemic forces all countries to provide prompt response, including in providing medications. In order to ensure the success of this cause, the local pharmaceutical industry has to assume the central role as one of the pillars of the development of national health.

Problems in supply chain has become one of the problems that needs to be solved. Indonesia’s pharmaceutical industry greatly relies upon the import and export of raw materials and equipment, and it has been a great concern during the current pandemic. 

Pietradewi Hartrianti, a faculty member at the Department of Pharmacy at Indonesia International Institute for Life Sciences (i3L) stated that Indonesia has been relying significantly on the import of raw materials from China and India. This high reliance on import causes the decrease in competitiveness of medications produced in Indonesia.

Kimia Farma (Persero) Tbk., a state-owned pharmaceutical company, has made an effort to produce its own raw materials since 2016 through their subsidiary PT. Kimia Farma Sungwun Pharmacopia (KFSP). However, that production is still on a relatively small scale. 

“The facility that we have now is only limited to eight raw materials, but those materials are not related to the treatment or therapy for COVID-19,” Pietradewi explained in her official statement.

Pietradewi explained that there has yet to be any step taken to anticipate the stop of the production of those raw materials. On top of that, the replacement of producers of raw materials need to go through a re-registration process at Badan Pengawas Obat dan Makanan (BPOM). 

“The pharmaceutical industry usually relies on several different suppliers of raw materials from different countries which are registered. However, if the import of product is stopped, the production of medications is then threatened,“ explained Pietradewi.

Pietradewi added that another state-owned pharmaceutical company, PT. Bio Farma (Persero), has the capacity to produce vaccines. However, the raw materials to produce vaccines still need to be acquired through import. 

“Problems do not only rise from Indonesia’s limited capacity to produce pharmaceutical raw materials, but also Indonesia’s limited capacity to provide chemical and biological materials to synthesize and purify when we still rely on the import of raw materials,“ explained Pietradewi.

The Right Momentum

The current COVID-19 pandemic can be the right momentum for Indonesia to revive and strengthen the national health industry. Indonesia can also then free themselves from the reliance on the import of health products.

Leonny Yulita Hartiadi, the head of the Department of Pharmacy at Indonesia International Institute for Life Sciences (i3L) explained that when COVID-19 first reached Indonesia, there had been a scarcity in items which can help prevent the spread of the coronavirus. These items include hand sanitizer, alcohol, masks, protective clothing, supplements and multivitamins.

However, as time passes, Indonesia’s pharmaceutical industry has been able to adapt to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The government has given us permission to easily import raw materials and equipment to produce medications. The process of permit approval for medical equipment companies has also been made short. This support from the government has been significantly helping in fulfilling the need for medications and medical equipment in Indonesia,” Leonny stated in her official statement. 

Leonny added that, in the future, the government is expected to produce more medical equipment to treat COVID-19. The industry that produces medications, pharmacy, protective clothing, masks and ventilators needs to also be supported. This is in line with President Joko Widodo’s Presidential Instruction (Instruksi Presiden) (Inpres) number 6, 2016, to support the independence and improve the competitiveness of the local pharmaceutical and medical equipment industry.

 

Post Views: 174

© 2022 Indonesia International Institute for Life Sciences. All rights reserved.