Indonesia Starts Domestic Production of PCR Test Kits

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The Indonesian government has announced it has begun to produce its own PCR test kits.

A PCR test kit is a polymerase chain reaction test used to detect the Covid-19 virus.

The announcement was made by Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs Muhadjir Effendy on June 22.

Read also: Home Affairs Minister: Indonesia Must Find Coronavirus Vaccine to Beat Pandemic

Indonesian state-owned enterprise PT Bio Farma is the producer of the country’s own PCR test kits.

The Indonesian government has encouraged various stakeholders from the private and public sectors to help address the coronavirus pandemic.

Read also: Indonesia Seeks Partners for Coronavirus Vaccine Production

Most of the measures carried out thus far have been in finding a coronavirus vaccine.

“We have reported to Indonesian President Jokowi that we are able to produce our own PCR test kits," said Muhadjir.

"Yesterday, I visited the Bio Farma factory in which the company is able to produce 50,000 units of the PCR test kits every week.” 

The domestic production of PCR test kits would ease Covid-19 specimen testing. It would also reduce Indonesia’s reliance on imports to carry out mass testing.

Read also: Dexamethasone: Potential Treatment for Covid-19 in Indonesia

Muhadjir said the objective is for Bio Farma to produce more than 50,000 units of PCR test kits.

In fact, the minister is targeting a monthly production of 2 million units of PCR test kits.

To realize these plans, the Indonesian government will assist in finding a location to increase production.

“One of the venues we will use is a building that was originally planned to be used in the production of bird flu vaccines. We will fix up the building to accommodate the production of PCR test kits, which Indonesian President Jokowi has agreed to,” said Muhadjir.

Coronavirus vaccine needed

Indonesia’s Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian has stressed on the need for the country to find a coronavirus vaccine if it seeks to beat the pandemic.

Based on the Indonesian government’s calculations, it will need approximately 340 million coronavirus vaccines.

Around 170 million Indonesians will need a vaccine with each citizen requiring a minimum of two shots, said Tito.

Read also: Indonesia’s Covid-19 Cases Officially Highest in ASEAN

The home affairs minister shared an optimistic scenario as Indonesia works to discover a coronavirus vaccine.

“The scenario is we will find a coronavirus vaccine at the earliest by mid-2021, therefore, by the end of 2022 or even mid-2022, the Covid-19 virus will be past us. That’s the quickest scenario,” said Tito Karnavian.

Pharmaceutical company Kalbe Farma and South Korean company Genexine have developed a coronavirus vaccine that is currently under clinical trials.

The first clinical trial began in June in South Korea while Indonesia will be included for the second phase of the trials in August 2020. 

(Writer: Rakhmat Nur Hakim | Editor: Icha Rastika) 

Source: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/06/22/17152711/indonesia-mulai-produksi-perlengkapan-tes-pcr-mandiri