The ministry's Circular Letter No.HK.02.02/I/2845/2021 on the new ceiling price for RT-PCR tests was issued on August 16, 2021, head of the Papua Communication and Informatics Office, Jeri A. Yudianto, said here on Tuesday.
"We are following it up," he said, adding that the Indonesian Health Ministry has set the Rp525 thousand-price cap for individually-requested RT-PCR tests in regions outside the islands of Java and Bali.
The ministry's circular has set a price ceiling of Rp495 thousand for RT-PCR tests in Java and Bali, he added.
President Joko Widodo had earlier requested that the ceiling for individually-requested PCR tests be set at between Rp450 thousand and Rp550 thousand.
He had also asked that the results of swab tests be issued within 24 hours of testing.
The government's price cap for individually-requested PCR tests was earlier set at Rp900 thousand.
Prior to the issuance of the Health Ministry's circular, the Papua Health Laboratory Agency was charging locals around Rp500 thousand for the tests, Yudianto said.
Those with COVID-19 syndromes or holding a medical notification for taking the COVID-19 swab tests will get them free of charge, he informed.
Yudianto had also said that the President's request for reducing the price cap for PCR tests should be welcomed because if it is implemented, it would ease the burden on people wanting to travel.
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Tomy Tampatty, union coordinator of United Garuda Indonesia, said in a press statement issued on August 4, 2021 that many air passengers had complained about the PCR test requirement.
Tampatty had suggested that the government reconsider its decision to make PCR tests mandatory for air passengers in place of rapid antigen tests, arguing the step could affect airlines' occupancy.
ANTARA has earlier reported that the government had set the price cap for individually-requested PCR tests at Rp900 thousand, and rapid antigen tests at Rp250 thousand for the island of Java and Rp275 thousand for areas outside Java.
Related news: President calls for price ceiling of PCR test at Rp550,000
Coronavirus infections initially emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan at the end of 2019, and then spread to various parts of the world, including to countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
The Indonesian government announced the country's first confirmed cases on March 2, 2020.
Since then, the central and regional governments have made persistent efforts to flatten the coronavirus curve by imposing healthcare protocols as well as social and travel restrictions.
Related news: Papua awaits Health Ministry directive on swab test price cap
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Translator: Hendrina DK, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2021
