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BPOM aims for stronger supervision roles
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BPOM and police officers show confiscated illegal drugs during a press conference at the Police Headquarters in Jakarta, Tuesday, September 6, 2016. 42,480,000 pills of illegal drugs were seized during a raid on a factory in Balaraja, Banten. (JP/Seto Wardhana.)
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ood and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) chief Penny Kusumastuti Lukito says her institution will need greater authority to strengthen its role in curbing the circulation of bogus drugs and adulterated food in the country.
Penny, who was appointed earlier this year by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo in the wake of fake vaccine scandals that sparked nationwide outrage, said she expected to see her institution, for example, gain the authority to punish perpetrators.
"We want to optimize and revitalize our existing supervisory function so that any irregularities in the field can be detected earlier. If sufficient evidence is found, we should be able to impose punishments to create a deterrent effect," she said on Tuesday.
Penny also said that BPOM was also attempting to extend its reach to the regional level by opening local branches. Currently, the agency’s offices are only located in provincial capitals.
"In a bid to provide better education to the public to identify counterfeit food or drugs, we want to intensify our presence in all levels of society," she said.
Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) chairman Tulus Abadi previously said that BPOM needed to pay close attention to the circulation of food containing dangerous materials, including those sold on the street to children. (fac/hwa)
