'No price hike for medicines'

'No price hike for medicines'

BANDUNG: Health Minister Achmad Sujudi said on Saturday the
government had not considered price hikes for generic medicines
and would maintain the Rp 500 billion subsidy for the drug.

"Poor people depend much on these medicines. It's impossible
for the government to pull out the subsidy," he said.

He also said that since the country was also rich in herbs and
traditional medicine, people should be encouraged to utilize
them.

"We might enact a policy in which doctors can prescribe
traditional medicines for their patients, but of course they must
be properly tested first," Achmad said. (25/edt)