InfoPublik are reporting that more than 90-percent of the total market for medical devices in Indonesia are imported and the government has responded to this high level of dependence by launching a health transformation that focuses on six pillars.
This transformation includes increasing the resilience of the pharmaceutical and medical device sector, driven by the potential for market growth and a large increase in health sector spending.
“Our market is very big. If most of the health sector spending goes to Indonesia and not abroad, then our economic growth will be supported by this,” said Health Minister (Menkes) Budi Gunadi Sadikin Wednesday (2/11/2022).
For this reason, the Minister of Health, Budi emphasized that the production and expenditure of domestic medical devices must be maximized. In 2022, the Ministry of Health has budgeted for medical equipment and medicine spending of around IDR 38-trillion.
“From IDR 38-39 trillion expenditures, our commitment this year is around IDR 17-trillion for domestic spending, now it is IDR 8-trillion,” said Minister of Health Budi.
To achieve this target, he continued, the government needed support and commitment from business actors in an effort to realize the independence of the medical device industry, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.
This support, one of which comes from PT. Astra Component Indonesia (ASKI) which has been able to produce domestic medical devices. These include 2D USG products, Anthropometry Set, and Autoclave (sterilization unit) which were officially launched on Tuesday (1/10/2022).
Domestically produced medical devices have several advantages, for example for ultrasound, which is portable and has telemedicine features so that communication is possible between tool operators and specialists, as well as being able to store examination results.
The function of storing examination results is also found in the anthropometric set which is designed to be connected to an Android application and the Ministry of Health reporting system, report InfoPublik.
With the production capabilities carried out by PT. ASKI, Minister of Health Budi hopes to be followed by an increase in production capacity. And the development of medical devices does not only focus on medical devices for curative health care efforts, but also promotive and preventive services.
“In the future, Astra can produce medical devices that are for early examination, such as test kits for diabetes, hypertension, blood pressure, so there is no need to go to the lab. If it can be mobile, integrated with digital technology is even better. So there are lots of opportunities in the preventive promotive field,” said Minister of Health, Budi.
In the production process, Minister of Health Budi suggested that the company should also cooperate with MSMEs in the regions.
“Later on, what is difficult can be produced in Astra, integration in Astra, but the components can be made in the regions. I ask that the ecosystem can be formed, together with the domestic industry, especially in the next 5-years, “explained Minister of Health Budi.
Source: Info Publik
