The national pharmaceutical industry is preparing
for the ASEAN free trade within the framework of ASEAN Economic Community (AEC)
2015. Preparations were mostly done on improvement of technological
capabilities in order to compete with foreign pharmaceutical industry.
Technological improvement is also useful for production efficiency. Data of
Indonesian Pharmaceutical Association (GP Farmasi) mentioned that the pharmaceutical
industry in Indonesia has been gradually making investment of around Rp 3.5
trillion in facing opportunities and challenges ahead of AEC 2015. The
investment is used for setting up new industrial units, significant renovations
in order to increase production capacity and human resource development.
Hopefully, with the implementation of AEC, pharmaceutical industry can be a
host in its own country, will still exist, and has high competitiveness.
Of course, there are still many things that
must be addressed by the national pharmaceutical industry in order to deal with
AEC 2015. Executive Director of GP Farmasi, Darodjatun Sanusi, in Jakarta, on
Friday, April 25), admitted that currently Indonesia is still inferior in terms
of pharmaceutical industry growth compared to Vietnam. However, at the time of
the implementation of AEC 2015, he was optimistic that the industry is expected
to grow to 42% - 45% of the total ASEAN market. "The pharmaceutical
industry in the country will be tightly competing with Vietnam in seizing
market at the time of the implementation of AEC 2015," said Sanusi.
Sanusi said that the growth of the
pharmaceutical industry market in ASEAN countries on average per year during
the past six years is that Vietnam is able to grow by more than 20%, followed
by Indonesia which recorded a 12% - 15% growth. The growth of the domestic
pharmaceutical market in 2013 ranged between 9% and 12%. The target of growth
of this industry in 2014 is 13% -14%. He said that total Indonesian domestic
market of approximately 65% -67% comprises of local industry products, while
foreign pharmaceutical industry from foreign investment (FDI) is about 33% - 35%.
He added that investment in the pharmaceutical sector is also earmarked for
the implementation of National Health Insurance Program (JKN). Sanusi said that
along with the implementation of the program of Health Social Security Provider
(BPJS) this year, projection of sales turnover of drugs would increase compared
to last year.
According to Sanusi, the weakening of the rupiah
against the U.S. dollar (USD) has a major effect on the production of drugs. In
fact, drug manufacturers last year were forced to raise the price of drugs by
3% - 7%. But, the rise in drug prices depends on each company in raw materials
supply. That is, a company that has been stocking raw materials prior to the
weakening of the rupiah will sell the products at a fixed price.
He asked the government to provide acceleration
and ease in obtaining a registration number or Distribution License Number
(NIE) for the domes tic pharmaceutical industry. According to him, there needs
to be an intensive guidance and direction, especially in terms of acceleration
of production permit for industries that made an investment to improve its
ability in the latest GMP (Good Drugs Manufacturing Practices). For Sanusi, the
primary key in facing AEC 2015 is maximum control of the domestic market and
increase of competitiveness to enter the regional market.
Meanwhile, Minister of Health, Andi Walinono
Nafsiah Mboi, said that when the national pharmaceutical industry is able to
control 70% of the total domestic pharmaceutical market whose value reached
Rp44 trillion per year, he will be proud of the success of the domestic
pharmaceutical industry in the midst of flow of imported health products.
Nafsiah also appealed to pharmaceutical entrepreneurs
to participate in government program, i.e. even distribution of availability of
medicines to remote areas in Indonesia in relation to the application of JKN.
For the Minister of Health, AEC 2015 is an opportunity and a challenge. It is
said that technological advances and socio-political development is a
challenge that must be handled. The pharmaceutical industry is required to
improve its ability to meet the standards in ASEAN to work professionally in
facing competition with imported products. (E)
Business New - April 30, 2014
No comments:
Post a Comment