The Ministry of Health is committed to encouraging pharmaceutical independence in the country as an important sector in sustaining national health development. Therefore, one of the strategic steps being taken is the development of the drug raw material industry in the context of import substitution.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the alertness of all countries, including in terms of the availability of medicines," said Rizka Andalucia, Director General of Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices in her remarks when opening the PT Pertamina Para Amino Phenol (PAP) Production and Price meeting in Jakarta (16/9).

The Ministry of Health through the Directorate General of Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices is ready to fully support all efforts to optimize the potential added value of processing petrochemical derivative products into pharmaceutical raw materials, such as the development of raw materials for Paracetamol drugs.

Therefore, the government continues to strive to strengthen the manufacturing structure of the domestic pharmaceutical industry, among others by spurring research activities to create product innovation. "On this occasion, we give appreciation to PT Pertamina for establishing cooperation with PT Kimia Farma Tbk in the context of developing the Paracetamol drug raw material industry from Benzene raw materials," said Rizka.

The meeting was attended by Pre Agusta Siswantoro, MBA, Apt (Pharmaceutical Practitioner), Drs. Pamian Siregar, apt, MBA (President Director of PT. Kimia Farma Sungwun Pharmacopia), Lee Warren Teguh (Jr. Analyst Strategic Planning PT. Pertamina International Refinery), and Sandra Firmania (Ministry of BUMN). Pertamina which is an intermediate in the production process of Paracetamol raw materials, so that Paracetamol can be produced end to end in the country, in order to encourage the resilience of domestic pharmaceutical preparations.

PT Kimia Farma Tbk (KF) synergizes with Pertamina (Persero) through PT Kilang Pertamina Internasional (KPI) Refining & Petrochemical Subholding in the development of Paracetamol production project from Benzene to support domestic pharmaceutical independence.

In his presentation, Pamian Siregar (President Director of PT. Kimia Farma Sungwun Pharmacopia) welcomed and appreciated the breakthrough steps taken by Pertamina, through PT. KPI and PT. KF, which plans to build a Paracetamol pharmaceutical plant with a capacity of 3800 Tons Per Annum (TPA) as a derivative of petrochemical products, namely Benzene.

Pamian added that the initiation of this project is inseparable from the fact that pharmaceutical products are one of the essential needs in ensuring the health of the Indonesian people. "To this day, we know together and we have learned together that in the midst of the current COVID-19 pandemic, health is the main capital that is inseparable in order to restore the national economy," said Pamian.

On the same occasion, Mr. Lee Warren Teguh N (Jr. Analyst Strategic Planning PT. Kilang Pertamina Internasional) revealed that PT. KPI and PT. KF are working together in further processing one of the petrochemical products, namely Benzene and Propylene originating from the Refinery Unit (RU) IV Cilacap refinery to be developed and produced into Para Amino Phenol (PAF) which will become pharmaceutical raw materials, one of which is Paracetamol.

"Through the HoA between PT KPI and PT Kimia Farma, both parties will continue the study of business cooperation schemes, based on the results of the joint study that has been carried out previously. The study includes the provision of raw materials, namely Benzene; product offtake plan; transaction scheme; and commercial studies," Lee continued.

From today's meeting, it is expected to encourage the acceleration of PAP production, support from the Ministry of BUMN and production of Paracetamol according to the target set by the Ministry of Health.