TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - State-owned pharmaceutical company PT Kimia Farma started taking out stocks of face masks amid skyrocketing prices of the commodity in the market across the country. In one of its drugstores located in Menteng Huis, Cikini, Central Jakarta, the mask is set at Rp2,000 per piece.

“Face masks are available in all Kimia Farma drugstores,” said PT Kimia Farma CEO Verdi Budidarmo while accompanied by SOE Minister Erick Thohir in Cikini, Wednesday, March 4.

On Monday, March 2, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo announced the first two cases of the new coronavirus or COVID-19 in Indonesia. The two are residents of Depok, West Java, and were being treated in the isolation room at Sulianto Saroso Hospital or RSPI in North Jakarta.

Following the announcement, the price of face masks greatly increased. In Glodok, West Jakarta, a pack of Nexcare-brand face masks containing 50 pieces are sold up to Rp850,000, while for the brand Sensi at Rp450,000 and Accurate at Rp400,000 per pack.

Verdi announced that Kimia Farma limited the purchase of face masks at 2 pieces per day for one person. In addition to face masks, antiseptic with 70 percent alcohol is also available, for example, Antifect brand hand sanitizer is set at Rp17,000 per bottle of 100ml.

Meanwhile, Minister Erick said that Kimia Farma would further bring out their stocks to meet the public needs. He acknowledged that some of the raw materials for the face mask originated from China, so if the supply is hindered due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the raw material would be imported from Europe.

“With raw materials from China, the price of face masks is Rp2,000 per piece, but if the materials are imported from Europe, we don’t know the price yet,” said Erick Thohir.

FAJAR PEBRIANTO