Medicine suppliers told to speed up distribution

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)