JAKARTA: Indonesia’s plan for the military to produce medicines for public use has sparked alarm among health experts, who question whether the armed forces possess the required expertise and safety protocols.

Although facilities run by the army, navy and air force already produce drugs for their soldiers, experts question if they can meet the standards of modern pharmaceutical production.

On Jul 22, Indonesian Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin signed an agreement with the country’s Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) authorising labs run by the army, navy and air force to start producing drugs and medical supplies for civilians.

Sjafrie said the military will increase the production capacity of its medical research centres before beginning to produce drugs for the public. 

The Indonesian government, the minister added, is hoping to launch these military-produced medicines on Oct 5, the 79th anniversary of the country’s armed forces. 

The drugs, he said, will be half the price of those produced by regular pharmaceutical companies and will be available at the 80,000 state-backed Red and White village cooperatives, a programme recently launched by President Prabowo Subianto. 

“We will mass produce medicines and ship them to villages at prices which are ...