Govt plays down fears about drugs scarcity<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The government has moved to allay growing public
\nconcern about shortages of medicines and their skyrocketing
\nprices by stating that raw materials are sufficient and
\nproduction is increasing.<\/p>\n
Minister of Health Farid Anfasa Moeloek said yesterday the
\ngovernment would be able to cut generic drug prices by an average
\nof 20 percent by next month because imported stocks of raw
\nmaterials had arrived.<\/p>\n
The ministry issued a letter of credit worth US$48.9 million
\nto import the raw materials and other medical supplies in
\nFebruary, including 24,000 dialysis kits and emergency equipment.<\/p>\n
Moeloek said current stocks would be sufficient to meet
\nnational demand until August.<\/p>\n
\"Hopefully, we do not need to worry about the supplies of
\nmedicine, especially at the community health centers,\" the
\nminister said after meeting with President Soeharto at his
\nprivate residence on Jl. Cendana, Central Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Drug prices soared in the last few months following the huge
\ndepreciation of the rupiah against the U.S. dollar which began in
\nJuly last year. Most of the raw materials used in local drug
\nmanufacturing are imported.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Health announced last month that it would
\nallocate up to $116 million to help pharmaceutical firms import
\nraw materials at a fixed exchange rate of Rp 5,000 to the dollar.<\/p>\n
Generics are manufactured by 54 of the 225 pharmaceutical
\nfirms operating in the country. Importation of raw materials
\nreached $178.32 million in 1997, according to health ministry
\ndata.<\/p>\n
Before the crisis hit, many Indonesians, particularly from the
\nmiddle and upper classes, preferred patent drugs. Generics were
\nprimarily used at state-owned hospitals.<\/p>\n
\"The President has also advised people to boost the
\nconsumption of traditional drugs for their families, because
\ntheir quality is often better than imported ones,\" Moeloek said.
\n(prb)<\/p>",
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"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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