The Minister of Defense is Ready to Buy 1,000 Vent-I Works by ITB Lecturers

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – Minister of Defense (Menhan) Prabowo Subianto purchased the Indonesian Ventilator (Vent-I) by Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) lecturer Syarif Hidayat. According to Prabowo, the ventilator made by ITB alumni is very strategic for helping Covid-19 patients to recover. He was very proud to have children of the nation working on the ventilators, which are currently badly needed by various hospitals.

According to Prabowo, ventilators are the most needed tool by all countries in the world, because of the Covid-19 pandemic. “So the price of this ventilator in the world is extraordinary, I can say it’s crazy, at first the price was 6,000 US dollars, and it increase to 8,000 dollars, now it’s at tens of thousands of dollars, sometimes even unavailable,” said Prabowo when receiving Vent-I handover from  Syarif Hidayat  at Ministry of Defense (Kemenhan), Jakarta, Tuesday (5/5).

According to Prabowo, it is fortunate that Indonesia has patriots who are ITB alumni who are able to produce local ventilators. He admitted that he received information that Vent-I production costs were under US $ 1,000 or less than Rp. 15 million. According to Prabowo, several hospitals currently need ventilators to help cure corona patients.

For this reason, his party is ready to order 1,000 Vent-I works by Syarif Hidayat to be distributed to hospitals affiliated with the Ministry of Defense and the TNI, which currently need ventilators. “But I also got reports that in a few days they will succeed in making the ventilator even more sophisticated. The price is more expensive, but not as expensive as abroad. The price can be Rp 25 million, where it can be hundreds of millions in abroad” said the former Kostrad commander.

Prabowo also praised Syarif Hidayat for being able to make a tool that was a solution in treating Covid-19 patients. With the mass production of Vent-I, he continued, this can increase optimism and reduce fear, and panic, because it is vital in helping the healing process of Covid-19 patients. “If a nation is in a crisis or in a  pinch, we  can make this happen. I am proud that all of your productions can be bought, ”said Prabowo.

Vent-I initiator Syarif Hidayat said that his party could produce 600 ventilators at an early stage with funds from community assistance. All ventilators were donated to various hospitals in need, including the hospital under the Ministry of Defense. Syarif also revealed that in two weeks time, the production of 600 ventilators could be realized to be submitted to the Ministry of Defense.

“We offer this tool to soldiers. I hereby hope that doctors and medical personnel, and other personnel can win the war in the Covid-19 pandemic, and our nation can get out of trouble, and people can return to a normal life with dignity,” said the engineering lecturer. ITB electrical and informatics.

Syarif emphasized that with an order for 1,000 ventilators from the Ministry of Defense, his party was ready to mass produce Vent-I. That way, the need for ventilators in hospitals under the Ministry of Defense and the TNI throughout Indonesia can be met. “Regarding technology, we must feel poor, if we feel rich we just have to buy it,” said Syarif.

This news was previously published in Republika.co.id with the title “The Minister of Defense is Ready to Buy 1,000 Vent-I Works of ITB Lecturers”.

Author: Erik Purnama Putra