MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, SURABAYA – The Council for Public Health (MPKU) of the Muhammadiyah Provincial Board of East Java is urging the government to collaborate with universities to tackle the high cost of medication in Indonesia.
The Council believes that universities, with their abundant human resources in pharmaceutical development, can play a crucial role in solving this critical issue.
Dr. Mundakir, the Chairperson of the MPKU of the Muhammadiyah Provincial Board of East Java, expressed his belief in the capabilities of Indonesian universities.
“I am confident that our universities can contribute significantly if they are given the opportunity. During the COVID-19 pandemic, several Indonesian universities developed vaccines,” said Dr. Mundakir.
The high cost of medication has become a major concern for both the public and the government. This situation disproportionately affects lower-income households who often struggle to afford essential medications.
“Their inability to purchase medication due to high prices leads to delayed or inadequate treatment,” emphasized Mundakir, who is also the vice-rector of Universitas Muhammadiyah Surabaya.
The issue of expensive medication has been persistent, with drug and medical equipment prices in Indonesia being 300-500% higher or 3-5 times more expensive than in neighboring countries like Malaysia.
In response to this growing concern, President Joko Widodo held a meeting with his ministers, including the Minister of Health, on Tuesday (July 2), urging them to ensure that the prices of medical equipment and medicines are reduced to be in line with other countries.
Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin identified inefficient trade practices as one of the primary causes of high drug prices, highlighting the need for a more transparent governance system to find cost-effective procurement methods.
Mundakir suggested that government collaboration with universities could leverage their expertise and research facilities to develop new and more affordable medications.
“The government can support the establishment of drug production facilities in universities or collaborate with local pharmaceutical industries to produce drugs based on university research,” he proposed
Mundakir further shared his experience attending the International Winter School (IWS) in 2023, organized by Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). At the Endocrine and Metabolism Research Institute (EMRI), he observed its advanced capabilities. The institute is one of the fifty research and development centers for basic clinical and experimental medicine in the field of endocrinology and metabolism with a focus on diabetes and osteoporosis.
TUMS also has a Pharmaceutical Incubator (PI), a hub for research and drug production, with 12 affiliated companies handling production and marketing.
“This incubator has successfully produced 120 essential pharmaceutical products and launched 60 new ones, including tablets, capsules, inhalers, and injectable drugs,” said Mundakir.
Drawing from this experience, Mundakir expressed his conviction that Indonesian universities are capable of achieving similar or even greater success.
“Political will from the government to collaborate with universities is crucial to address the issue of high drug prices,” said Mundakir.
