China tops the list as the biggest exporter of medical equipment to Indonesia during May 3 and July 3, according to figures released by the country's Directorate General of Customs and Excise recently.
Of the top 10 exporters of medical equipment to Indonesia, China accounted for the largest share of 8.67 million U.S. dollars, or 26.65 percent of all of the archipelago nation's imported medical equipment during the two-month period, followed by Japan and South Korea.
Out of Indonesia's imported medical equipment in the two-month period, 41.99 percent were PCR test kits with a value of 13.67 million dollars, while rapid test kits accounted for 18.7 percent with a value of 6.1 million dollars, and ventilators accounted for 6.85 percent.
Indonesia's ambassador to China Djauhari Oratmangun told media earlier this month that the embassy has communicated with the government of Jakarta to engage in cooperation with a number of Chinese companies to supply more healthcare equipment to Indonesia.
The recent second wave of COVID-19 outbreak has resulted in a drastic increase in demand for oxygen canisters in Indonesia.
The Health Ministry's spokesperson for COVID-19 vaccination program Siti Nadia Tarmizi said that initially, the demand for oxygen cylinders were recorded at 60 tons daily. Recently, the demand has soared up to 4,000 tons per day.
"We are trying to get more oxygen canisters from overseas, mainly Singapore, China, and several others," said Tarmizi on a webinar last week.
Coordinating Minister for Maritime and Investment Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan said last week that the country has planned to seek help from a number of foreign countries if the daily COVID-19 cases surpass 40,000.
On Monday, Indonesia recorded 40,427 daily COVID-19 cases, the country's highest-ever daily case figure, and 891 new fatalities.
