Free drugs for the poor

In response to the public debate on high drug prices, I would like to say the government has no authority to supervise or control the prices of generic or patented drugs.

Currently, the government is only in control of the prices of the generic drugs that are produced by state-owned pharmaceutical companies in order to be competitive against private manufacturers.

Lowering the prices of generic drugs amid the drastic increase in the prices of imported ingredients has caused a scarcity of certain generic medicines.

I share the view of those who say that if the government is committed to health, the only choice is to allocate sufficient funds to provide affordable drugs.

However, even the cheapest drugs remain beyond the reach of the poor and the unemployed, who are the most vulnerable to diseases.

Therefore, the availability of free drugs for the poor should be the main principle of health service. This can be done by supplying integrated health offices and public health clinics with drugs, quantitatively and qualitatively.

The Health Ministry, in the case of funding shortages, should request that the Finance Ministry transfer 10 percent of pharmaceutical industries' 30 percent income tax to the Health Ministry.

Public health in Indonesia is our common responsibility and pressuring pharmaceutical manufacturers alone is unfair.

SUNARTO PRAWIROSUJANTO
Jakarta