AMIDST CONFLICT, INDONESIA INITIATED EXPORTS TO THE MIDDLE EAST

Efforts to boost the value of exports were sustained by our government to achieve
some targets which have been set. One of them was through a potential market of
medical equipment in the Middle East region. "Exports of medical equipment
(medical supplies) to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) increased by 252.02 percent,"
said The Director General of Export Development Ministry of Trade, Nus Nuzulia
Isaac, as quoted from a statement on Monday (26/01/2015). Nus also explained that
the upward trend in the export performance of medical supplies in the Middle East
and Africa were also not unrestricted from the promotional efforts carried out
actively, consistently, and continuously since 2006, supported by the Medical
Device Manufacturers Association of Indonesia (Aspaki). "The UAE is an export hub
or gateway for the Middle East region. The countries surrounding requires a variety
of medical equipment products, particularly the countries who were involved in the
conflict," he said.
Indonesian medical equipment export trends to the world during the past five years
has increased by 9.35 percent with an export value of USD298,91 million in 2013.
Indonesia's trade relations with the UAE increased by 31.79 per cent during the
period January to October 2014 at USD3,57 billion over the same period the
previous year. According Nus, the Middle East market which recognized as wealthy
region of countries like UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Bahrain, is potential.
Increased in demand of medical supplies in the Middle East is driven by high
population growth and urbanization, as well as maintaining health as part of today's
lifestyle.
To that end, the Ministry of Commerce held a promotion in the Arab Health
Exhibition Fair which will take place on 26-29 January 2015 in Dubai, UAE. This
exhibition is the biggest health products exhibition for Africa and Middle East region
which visited by the importers, wholesalers, and distributors from various countries.
"Indonesia's participation in this exhibition has aims that Indonesias health
products will increasingly recognized and absorbed by the market in the two regions
in particular and in the world," said Nus. With the theme of Trade with Remarkable
Indonesia, the Indonesian Pavilion area of 60 square meters will be occupied by nine
companies with specified design that has nuance of Indonesia. The items which will
be displayed are including sphygmomanometer, stethoscopy replacement parts.
Nus expected, Indonesia can achieve optimum business opportunities in this
exhibition so as to improve the health of Indonesian exports, which in turn can boost
export achievement of predetermined targets. Previously, promotion health
products conducted in Vietnam in 2012 and resulted in trade contacts USD1,13
million, in 2013 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia produces a total of USD710 thousand

transactions; and in 2014 in Johannesburg, South Africa with a total transaction

USD2,24 million.

GADJAH MADA UNIVERSITY WELCOMED 15 AMBASSADORS FOR

PARTNERSHIP

A total of 15 Indonesian ambassadors for the Asia-Europe countries were exploring

cooperation with Gadjah Mada University in the education, research, and
community service. " then, they will map out any fields that allow cooperation
between UGM and various universities in 15 countries in Asia and Europe," said the
Rector, Dwikorita Karnawati in Yogyakarta, on Monday.
During the visit of 15 ambassadors (ambassador) Indonesia for Asian-European
countries, he said the visit would open up opportunities for UGM to know more
deeply what the needs of graduates at the global level are. "With this visit we were
able to map out what the immediate needs of the global world so UGM can take part
in it," he said. According to him, the ambassador was also able to map out UGM
strength that enables cooperation in solving the problems of the nation and the
world. "For example, issues related to food sovereignty, energy sovereignty, health,
and maritime need to be resolved urgently. Hopefully soon there will be a short-term
action plan that can be done," he said.
Indonesian Ambassador for Italy, August Parengkuan, said the opportunity to
conduct studies in the field of maritime quite open in Italy. Italy has the world's best
maritime school. However, he said, until recently the number of Indonesian students
who took the maritime studies in Italy is still minimal. "Italy has the best maritime
school in the world, but none of Indonesian took that as their degree. Last three
years ago, it was just two people," he said.
Indonesian Ambassador to Spain, Yuli Mumpuni Widarso, said UGM need to think to
open Department of Spanish. With that new department, it is expected that UGM
can expand graduate opportunity to compete at the international level. "Spanish is
one of the official languages of the United Nations Spanish. If UGM can open the
Spanish Language Department, it would be great," he said.

HERBAL REMEDIES EXTENSIVELY STUDIED IN TAWANGMANGU

Training for doctors related to herbal scientification was held back by the Center for
Research and Development of Medicinal Plants and Traditional Medicine (B2P2TOOT)
under the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia, in Gedung Diklat IPTEK dan
Jamu B2P2TOOT, Tawangmangu, Solo, on 5 to 10 December 2014. Chief B2P2TOOT ,
Indah Yuning Prapti, SKM, Kes, said that the purpose of this training, which already
conducted since 2010 is to prepare human resources (HR) in this case doctors and
pharmacists. By this training, it is expected that it will able to make networking for
doctors who perform herbal scientification. Later, with this network, it is expected to
accelerate empirical (there is no scientific evidence) herbal, transform into herbs
that have been guided by scientific evidence. "It is because there are patients who
still often questioned it. The scientific evidence is necessary, although the herbs
which are used have medicinal properties since ancient (ancestors)," he said.
Furthermore, Indah said there was another purpose of training doctors about
saintifikasi herbs, which will help the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia
to collect data from the doctors who are practicing or interested about herbs. "Most
important is how we encourage the doctors to become a fighter for utilizing herbs
for health care. Both traditional and conventional, so they can be complementary,"
he said.
dr. Danang Ardiyanto, Coordinator of Center Research and Development of
Medicinal Plants and Traditional Medicine, Ministry of Health explained, there is a
number of doctors in Indonesia who does not have the special ability of herbs.
Therefore, training for doctors who want to know more in-depth about herbal
medicine was given to the clinic. "This training had 30 doctors who were searched
by the Ministry of Health in the Department of Health. So,for those who are
interested in learning about herbs, they can join this training. At the same time, we
also have a database," he explained. Every year, he said, the Ministry of Health
regularly provided training for 60 doctors who were divided into two batches. There

were also methods that were taught to the participants of the training which
consists of a medical representative, include; Medikoetikolegal, methodology,
research, pharmacodynamic, holistic diagnostics.
As a real form of commitment in focusing on developing herbal-based health
products, SOHO Global Health also took part in training doctors this time. "SOHO is
one of the herbal products industries and their products are most commonly used
by Indonesian people and they are pushing for the development of herbal medicine
in Indonesia. Moreover, in order to develop herbal medicine in Indonesia to be run
smoothly and successfully, it needed three pillars, the academic, bussines, and
goverment (ABG). Government in this case is the Ministry of Health, while bussines
for this year is SOHO, as well as the sponsors, "said Danang.
Sugiharjo, VP of Sales and Marketing for Global Health Professional Products SOHO,
Sugiharjo, said, because scientification of herbs is research on the use of herbs and
herbal ingredients in an effort to obtain scientific evidence on the benefits of both to
keep and maintain health, as well as to treat diseases based on scientific principles
and ethics, the training of this kind need to be fully supported. "The excess is the
independence in creating drug for Indonesian, as well as to improve the welfare of
herbs farmers," he said. According to Indah Yuning Prapti, SOHO Global Health was
the third industry that sponsored the training doctors about scientification while
encouraging scientification herbal ingredients.

CARCINOGENIC AND TERATOGENIC COSMETIC PRODUCTS NEWLY BROUGHT

TO THE SURFACE

Head of the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM), Roy A Sparringa said
throughout 2014, BPOM has been monitored over 32 billion of cosmetic products.
From the monitoring, there were over 54 percent of cosmetic products were illegal
products. He added that it was also found that 68 cosmetic products contained
hazards. From those products, 32 were foreign product and the other 36 were
domestic products.
"During the year 2014 we have been doing cosmetic monitoring to over 32 billion
cosmetic product, and over 54 percent of cosmetic products were illegally imported
products was containing dangerous ingredients. Today we got 68 cosmetic products
contain hazardous materials, 32 were foreign products and 36 were products from
our country. " Roy added that the findings were identified and we found that they
contain banned coloring ingredients such as rhodamine red K3 that widely used in
lipstick products, contamination of heavy metals Pb, and bleach (mercury).
"Whether it's coloring, heavy metal contamination, mercury (bleach), the effect is
very dangerous because it can cause cancer and damage to the fetus," he said,
Friday (19/12).
He asserted to follow-up the monitoring; BPOM will do action of pro-justicia action.
According to him, during the year 2014 it has been done pro justitia of the 41 cases
of violations in the field of cosmetics. In addition to the actions of pro justitia, Roy
also said BPOM security has withdrawal the product from circulation. "During the
2014 we have done pro justitia against 41 cases of violations of cosmetics, the

highest court ruling sanctions criminal was 1 year 9 months," he said. According to
the violations of cosmetic, according to Roy, economic value which have secured
was over 1 billion. "The economic value that we have secured is one billion two
hundred and seventy-five million rupiah," he concluded.

THE MINISTER OF HEALTH TARGETS 20% REFERRAL PATIENTS

Minister of Health (Minister of Health) Nila Moeloek, in her workplan of 2015-2019,

will strengthen primary care at the level of puskesmas and hospitals. It is done for
the continuation of the National Health Insurance program (JKN). "The strengthening
includes preparedness of 6,000 in six regional puskesmas, the establishment of 14
National Referral Hospital, and 184 Regional Referral Hospital," said Nila Moeloek to
reporters in Jakarta, Tuesday (3/2). She added, specifically for remote and very
remote areas, we will build hospital (RS) class D pratama with a capacity of 50 beds
closer for referral health services. "In Papua region, we will established 13 hospitals
pratama. While in the region of Sumatra, Java, Bali, Nusa Tenggara, Kalimantan and
Sulawesi, we will also established 55 hospitals pratama," said Minister of Health.
On that occasion, the Minister explained the program "Nusantara Sehat" in order to
support the implementation of Kartu Indonesia Sehat (KIS) and JKN, so a healthy
community of independent and equitable can be created. "By strengthening primary
care, it is expected that they do not need to refer to the hospital," said Minister of
Health. General Director of Health Services, Ministry of Health, Akmal Taher said the
target of the primary service is able to hold 80-90 percent of the patients who
received basic treatment, so it does not burden the referral hospital. "It is expected

that only 15-20 percent of patients admitted to the hospital. The rest, the treatment
is completed in a primary care," he said.
Currently, the Ministry of Health is preparing 116 district hospitals to undergo
expansion into regional referral. Ministry of Health is conducting reinforcement for
120 health centers in remote areas by sending health workers in the format of a
team of doctors, specialists and other health professionals. "The delivery of health
workers for primary health care in the form of the team will also be done in other
places, not like nowadays where the placement is done on an individual basis," said
the former Managing Director of the Cipto Mangunkusumo. Head of Development
and Empowerment of Health Human Resources (BPP-SDMK) Ministry of Health,
Usman Sumantri explained, the target program "Nusantara Sehat" is located in the
health center of Disadvantaged Regions, Border and Islands (DTPK) in 48 districts /
cities in Indonesia. "Lack of health workers in health centers located in DPTK; make
it less able to carry out promotional and preventive function. With this program, the
Ministry of Health is working to strengthen the health center by sending 960
additional health workers," said Usman Sumantri.

Delivery of health personnel will be divided into two stages that send to 120
Puskesmas which located in DPTK. The first phase will be sent 480 workers; the
second stage is also 480 people. "They will be in each health center for two years,"
he said. Added, health workers who pass the selection will be equipped with a nonmedical expertise and medical training that includes leadership, managerial, and
communication, as well as an understanding of local cultures.