TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Indonesia now has a new drug for patients Covid-19 with mild to severe severity. The antiviral drug called nirmatrelvir/ritonavir or Paxlovid is claimed to be more effective in the process of healing patients with corona virus infection.
Director General of Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Ministry of Health L. Rizka Andalusia said Paxlovid had received a distribution permit from the United States Food and Drug Administration (BPOM). In addition, it has been proven from clinical trials that Paxlovid is effective for mild symptoms, but those with a high risk of becoming severe.
“So this medicine is for people who have mild symptoms that have the potential to become severe,” said Rizka in a written statement on Thursday, April 13, 2023.
The existence of Paxlovid in Indonesia is the result of cooperation between the Indonesian government and the American government and the Australian government. A total of 24,096 doses were donated to Indonesia. This drug is the last drug to be discovered after favipiravir and molnupiravir. Currently Paxlovid is already in the Ministry of Health’s central pharmacy installation.
Later Paxlovid will be distributed to 34 provinces. In the early stages, drug distribution will be prioritized to areas that really need it. He added that Paxlovid was not given to children, but only adults with mild symptoms that could potentially become severe symptoms.
“Technically, giving Paxlovid is one treatment course for 5 days. This drug is a combination of two drugs or two antivirals that are taken together, taken once a day for 5 days. So the treatment is for 5 days,” he said.
Reducing the Risk of Death
WHO Representative for Indonesia N. Paranietharan said Covid-19 patients Those who take Paxlovid can reduce hospitalization and risk of death by up to 89 percent. “If we fall sick, Paxlovid will prevent us from moving from mild symptoms to severe illness. This is the first time it has been in Indonesia and it has worked,” said Paranietharan.
The United States Ambassador (Ambassador) to Indonesia Sung Y. Kim appreciated the cooperation that was carried out in ending pandemic Covid-1. According to him, Paxlovid’s delivery showed good collaborative value.
“Indonesia and America are joining forces to use new medicines and quickly improve distribution systems to jointly face pandemics. This can limit the spread of deadly diseases and treat those who are infected,” said Kim.
Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Penny Williams said the Paxlovid antiviral significantly reduced the chance of severe illness and reduced hospitalizations for Covid-19 patients. This drug will soon be distributed to hospitals throughout Indonesia.
“Australia and Indonesia remain committed to working together to address extraordinary health issues and address the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic together,” said Penny Williams.
Meanwhile, Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin said that the provision of domestic drug stocks was the government’s effort to ensure that the public could easily access drugs. “We must have drugs that are available domestically,” he said
So, said Budi Sadikin, when someone gets sick, they don’t need to panic, and they don’t have to depend on the government. “They can go to a nearby health facility to get access to this drug,” he said.
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