ICW Questions Govt Realization of Surgical Masks, PPE

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) discovered irregularities between the need and the realization of the health devices including health protective equipment (PPE).

“We think there is a huge gap,” said ICW researcher Dewi Anggaraeni in a discussion concerning potential corruption related to medical kits amid the pandemic on Tuesday, Sept. 1.

Dewi recalled the Covid-19 mitigation task force spokesman Wiku Adisasmito’s statement that Indonesia needed 5 million units of PPE per month.

However, based on the monitoring from April 21 to July 21, 2020, ICW found that only 1.8 million PPE units or 38 percent of the national needs had been distributed.

Dewi also quoted the statement made by the acting Director-General of Foreign Trade of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Srie Agustina, that Indonesia needed 129.8 million pieces of surgical masks.

But the realization was only 36 percent. “While the capacity of the national production for surgical masks is around 2.8 billion pieces,” he added.

Dewi then suggested the government provide a public channel for such information about the quantity, prices of medical equipment per piece, and the target of recipients in each health facility.

“The government must identify the number of medical devices needed before issuing policies on import [of PPE],” said Dewi.

Read: Indonesia Issues Rule Allowing PPE, Face Mask Exports

FRISKI RIANA