Medicine suppliers told to speed up distribution

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso has urged medicine suppliers to help speed up the distribution of medicine supplies and avoid hoarding activities.

"I hope every supplier helps guarantee the distribution of medicines here. I also want you to provide medicine at reasonable prices for the people," Sutiyoso said at the inauguration of the Federation of Pharmaceutical Entrepreneurs' city chapter's new board members, held at City Hall on Thursday.

The governor's remarks were made following the soaring prices of medicines and their limited availability at present.

"You have to be able to help the people in this crisis. I hope that there will be no medicine stockpiling either."

In contrast to the government's decision to lower the prices of generic drugs, medicine prices' in most city drugstores have risen up to 50 percent.

Head of the Ministry of Health's Jakarta office, Endarto Sutarto, said that in certain cases, some drugstores were found to be selling medicines above the standard prices.

"But I tell you, that kind of action will not happen again. The minister of health has announced prices of generic drugs are set to be lowered by 34.35 percent. So, I see no reason for suppliers or sellers to hike the prices," he said.

Endarto said the Drugs and Food Examination Board, in cooperation with the federation, will hold routine supervision to stabilize medicine prices.

"Up till now, we have not found any incident of medicine stockpiling. In a bid to get cheap medicine with standard prices, people are asked to go to one of 25 Kimia Farma drugstores throughout the city."

Medicines are available, among others, at the following Kimia Farma drugstores: Jl. Majapahit, Jl. Senen Raya, Jl. Kramat Raya, Jl. Pasar Baru and Jl Cikini, all in Central Jakarta; Jl. Sultan Hasanuddin, Jl. Radio Dalam and Jl. Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta; Jl. Jend. S. Parman and Jl. K.S. Tubun, West Jakarta; Jl. Yos Sudarso, North Jakarta; Jl. Matraman and Jl. Pahlawan Revolusi, East Jakarta.

All of these dispensaries provide generic and nongeneric medicine at reasonable prices, he added.

"Do not worry. There are enough medical supplies in Jakarta."

Head of the federation, Achmad Ruhiat, pledged to conduct routine checks at dispensaries and drugstores in the city.

"In pharmaceutical ethics, the prices of medicine are the one given in the last price list," he said.

He said the federation would take firm action against violators, such as expelling them from the federation.

"We will try our best to provide people with affordable medicine," he said. (edt/ind)