The Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) continues to coordinate with related parties, including the industrial sector to provide support in meeting the needs of medical oxygen gas for handling Covid-19 patients.

This is in accordance with the determination to mobilize all the capabilities of the domestic industry to meet the increasing demand for national oxygen gas.

“The industrial sector can make a big contribution in dealing with Covid-19 in the current situation. We express our deepest appreciation and appreciation to the industrial company PT. Indo-Rama Synthetics Tbk and PT. Indorama Ventures Indonesia is willing to donate oxygen concentrator equipment," said Minister of Industry (Menperin) Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita.

Based on data from the Ministry of Health, as of July 6, 2021, the need for medical oxygen has increased to 2,333 tons per day, while the national capacity is at 1,578 tons per day.

This means that there is a deficit of around 575 tons per day.

“We are tasked with finding additional oxygen sources, both from increasing production capacity and imports. Currently, we have secured the supply of around 922 tons of oxygen per day, both imported and local," explained the Minister of Industry.

He explained, the Ministry of Industry continues to make various proactive efforts by collaborating and coordinating with relevant ministries/agencies, local governments, industrial associations and industrial companies to help meet the need for oxygen gas for handling Covid-19 patients in a number of areas.

The assistance given today is in the form of 400 units of oxygen concentrator from PT. Indo-Rama Synthetics Tbk and 200 units from PT. Indorama Ventures Indonesia.

The assistance was handed over by the President Director of PT. Indorama Ventures Indonesia, Saurabh Mishra symbolically and virtually to the Government of Indonesia.

Oxygen concentrator is a tool that can help non-ICU Covid-19 patients.

The device is considered efficient in handling patients because it can produce oxygen and distribute it directly to Covid-19 patients at the treatment location.

“We are very grateful for this assistance, especially to Mr. Sri Prakash Lohia, Chairman of the Indorama Group. This oxygen concentrator assistance is very meaningful because it can reduce the need for oxygen cylinders,” said the Minister of Industry.

Assistance in providing and distributing oxygen for medical purposes is the industrial sector's response to the Instruction of the Minister of Industry Number 1 of 2021 concerning Oxygen Products as Industrial Strategic Commodities in the Covid-19 Period.

Through these instructions, domestic industries are expected to be able to meet the oxygen needs of the community, especially in health facilities.

To date, the Ministry of Industry has made an inventory of 8,600 oxygen concentrator units, including contributions from industrial companies.

In addition, the Ministry of Industry is also procuring oxygen concentrators through the reallocation of the Ministry of Industry's State Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBN).

Support from the industrial sector is also provided in the form of providing oxygen cylinders, as well as isotanks for the needs of mobilizing and distributing oxygen from factories to hospitals and filling stations.

Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin expressed his appreciation to the Ministry of Industry for its support in providing oxygen for hospitals in Indonesia.

He explained that currently there are around 74,000 patients who need access to oxygen in various formats.

Approximately 5-10% of patients require oxygen with high pressure in the form of a ventilator or High Flow Nasal Cannula (HFNC).

"Meanwhile, most of them need an oxygen supply of around 3-5 liters per hour which can be met with tools such as oxygen concentrators," explained the Minister of Health.

Therefore, according to the Minister of Health, this assistance will greatly assist the needs of patients. In addition, access to high-pressure oxygen can be concentrated for patients in the severe category and will reduce the burden of oxygen production and distribution.

Director of PT. Indorama Ventures Indonesia, Saurabh Mishra explained, Indorama provided assistance in the form of 300 oxygen concentrator units with a capacity of 10 liters and 300 units with a capacity of 5 liters.

"Since the beginning of the pandemic, Indorama has always been with the government in giving attention in the form of various activities. Now we feel called again to participate by donating 600 oxygen concentrator equipment,” he said.

Mishra said that oxygen concentrators are portable medical equipment used to support the supply and quality of oxygen needed by Covid-19 patients.

"We also hope that in the years to come, this tool can be produced domestically," added Mishra.

Efforts to increase competitiveness are also carried out in the medical equipment industry sector.

In line with the acceleration of the implementation of the Making Indonesia 4.0 roadmap, the medical device industry is one of the priorities in the roadmap.

The Minister of Industry said that his party was encouraging PT Yogya Presisi Tekhnikatama Industri (YPTI) which is currently developing an oxygen concentrator innovation.

“We continue to monitor and go all out to support this tool so that it can be mass produced. This is in accordance with the President's mandate to realize an independent Indonesia in the health sector," concluded the Minister of Industry.