Indonesia: Around 7.8 Million Kapsul Antivirus Flu Burung Expired

The department of the Health (the Department of Health) estimated, stock of medicine antivius bird flu that will expire (expired) in December 2008 totalling 7.8 million capsules or 780 thousand doses with a value of Rp 86.6 billion. The determination expired was determined was based on the stability research of medicine. From the research, was known bird flu medicine (oseltamivir) only could remain oldest two years. Meaning that 'in two years, medicine had the effectiveness, the security, as well as the quality that were good for the effect' of 'therapy or medical treatment', said the Director General re-educateed Kefarmasian and the Department of Health Medical Instrument, Dra Kustantinah, Apt, M.Apt.Sc, to the press, late last week. According to Kustantinah, to overcome the bird flu threat in Indonesia, last 2006, the Department of Health provided medicine totalling 16.3 million capsules. This medicine, continued he, really was needed for preparedness faced the threat of the influenza pandemic.

In accordance with the Strategi Nasional Pengendalian Plan of Bird Flu and Menghadapi Pandemi Influenza Preparedness 2006-2008, said Kustantinah, were gotten by the provisions activity of medicine antivirus humankind totalling 0.5 as far as 1 percent of the number of Indonesian inhabitants. Namely 1.2 as far as 2.4 million capsule," he explained.

However, Kustantinah words, in accordance with APBN Department of Health in year 2006, only could hold 16.3 million bird flu capsules from 24 million capsules like that was included in Renstranas Pengendalian of Bird Flu and Menghadapi Pandemi Influenza Preparedness. This medicine apart from to stockpiling in the Department of Health and the Province, also was distributed to the Kesehatan Service, RS Rujukan bird flu, RSUD Kabupaten/Kota, RS Swasta that had treated the case of bird flu, and all the Indonesian Community Health Centre. In connection with the evaluation for two years, said Kustantinah, the number of uses relatively few namely 8.1 million capsules. Meaning that, most bird flu medicine was still remaining. This 'meant the control program' of 'bird flu was successful, did not happen outbreak', he argued.

Indeed, remembered Kustantinah, there were 7.8 million capsules that would expired this coming December 2008. That 'not extravagance, but to protect the community', he stressed. More far Kustantinah will say, in 2009 later, the Department of Health will provide bird flu medicine totalling three million capsules with the Rp budget 32 billion. This was to stockpiling, if the illness threat happening, we have had his medicine. If his illness did not emerge, his medicine was not used, he explained. This step, said Kustantinah, was carried out because the Department of Health aim was to protect the health of the community. This 'in accordance with the policy' of 'national medicine, that is the medicine must be available when being needed in accordance with the number and his kind', he stressed.