"Those, who hoard medicines, oxygen tubes, and other medicines and equipment used to treat COVID-19 patients, should have their humanity questioned," Bambang condemned companies hoarding COVID-19 medicines while commenting on the recent police raid on the PT ASA distribution company suspected of hoarding azithromycin, paracetamol, and dexamethasone used to treat COVID-19 patients.
The MPR speaker adjudged the profit-seeking behavior amid the pandemic as despicable since scores of lives were at stake.
"It is because of them that lives are lost. The people suffering from COVID-19 have succumbed to the disease due to the scarcity of medicines and other medical equipment," Soesatyo pointed out.
The speaker urged the police to cooperate with online marketplaces, such as Shopee, Tokopedia, Bukalapak, and Lazada, to act against sellers, who vend oximeters or other medical equipment beyond the reasonable price and the ceiling price set by the government.
"Apart from daily offline patrolling, the police must also begin to conduct online patrols on marketplaces. Give no opportunity to those seeking to profit themselves from the people's sufferings," Soesatyo stressed.
The Health Ministry had set the ceiling price for 11 medicines used to treat COVID-19 patients.
"The selling price is valid nationwide, from drug stores, hospital, and its pharmacies, to other healthcare facilities, as well as medicines sold from online marketplaces," Soesatyo stated.
The 11 COVID-19 medicines comprise Favipiravir 200 mg capsule costing Rp22,500; Remdesivir 100 mg injection priced at Rp500,000; Oseltamivir 75 mg capsule available for Rp26,500; Five percent immunoglobulin intravenous liquid 50 ml sold at Rp3,262,300; 10 percent immunoglobulin intravenous liquid 25 ml costing Rp3,965,000; 10 percent immunoglobulin intravenous liquid 50ml priced at Rp6,174,900; Ivermectin 12 mg capsule sold at Rp7,500; Tocilizumab 400 mg/20ml intravenous liquid costing Rp5,710,600; Tocilizumab 80 mg/4 ml intravenous liquid available for Rp1,162,200; Azithromycin 500 mg capsule priced at Rp1,700; and Azithromycin 500 mg intravenous liquid costing Rp95,400.
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Translator: Boyke LW, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
