Trade Minister Agus Suparmanto has imposed relaxation on export and import regulation on health equipment and personal protection equipment (PPE), as a strategic move to solve the problem of their scarcity amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
"Four trade ministerial regulations have been revised in connection with the supply of health equipment, especially for medical workers at hospitals handling COVID-19 patients and to meet public demand in Indonesia," Suparmanto noted in a statement here on Monday.
Trade Minister’s Regulation No. 34 of 2020 has temporarily banned the exports of antiseptic, mask raw material, PPE, masks, and ethyl alcohol, effective until June 30, 2020, as domestic demand has jumped owing to the pandemic.
Trade Minister’s Regulation No. 28 of 2020 on the import of certain products has temporarily scrapped the obligation to submit a Surveyor Report (LS) for the import of masks and PPE products and other health equipment until June 30.
The regulation covers health equipment comprising medical protective clothing, radiation, and chemical protective suits, surgical gowns, examination gowns made of synthetic fiber, surgical masks, other masks made of non-woven material, infra-red thermometers, and other goods, including sanitary towel, sanitary tampon, infant diapers, and similar products made of a material other than textile, paper or paper pulp for single use.
Import relaxation is part of the government's swift response to handling the COVID-19 pandemic. The Trade Ministry has worked in coordination with related institutions and ministries, especially the Health Ministry and Industry Ministry.
"We want to ensure that the availability of PPE and health equipment can be met with the imposition of the policy," Suparmanto stated.
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