Govt Claims Surplus of PPE, Ready to Export

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said that Indonesia recorded a surplus of the personal protective equipment or PPE used to prevent the Covid-19 transmission. This is based on the production surplus of domestic protective clothing until December 2020.

“For that reason, the government is ready to contribute to meet the world's needs of PPE, while prioritizing the domestic needs,” said Agus in a web seminar on Tuesday, June 9.

The data compiled by the ministry showed the production surplus until December 2020. In detail, there are 1.96 million pieces of surgical masks, 377.7 million cloth masks, 13.2 million surgical gowns, and 356.6 million coveralls.

However, the production of N95 masks recorded a deficit of 5.4 million pieces as there is only one available producer with a capacity of 250,000 pieces per month.

Agus reiterated that the Indonesian-made protective medical equipment had been ISO-16604-certified, the WHO’s premium grade level, and tested at the US and Taiwan institutions so that it is safe for use by all healthcare workers in the world.

“This oversupply must be followed up with right policies, so huge export potential due to increasing global needs can be a trigger for the domestic industry to survive and contribute to the economic growth,” he remarked.

Therefore, Agus said that the government was mulling to export PPE by revising the trade ministerial regulation on the ban of export while prioritizing to fulfill the domestic supplies.

ANTARA