The Health Ministry says it is working closely with law enforcement to crack down on the reported spread of fake medical masks in Indonesia.
Local news outlets recently reported their discovery of fake medical grade-labeled face masks being openly sold online and at physical stores.
These encompass surgical masks and N95/KN95 masks — which are recommended for their small particles filtration capabilities — the counterfeit versions of which do not fulfill the ministry’s standards, as product tests have shown.
“What is inappropriate is if the mask is not actually fit for medical use, but is claimed to be a medical mask. We will act on this because this misleads the public,” Health Ministry Pharmaceutical and Medical Equipment Director General Arianti Anaya said.
Arianti added that healthcare professionals and the general public should look for the Health Ministry’s seal of approval in the packaging of face masks, or refer to the ministry’s database of licensed producers and distributors in its official website.
To help the ministry’s crackdown, the public may report fake masks through its hotline 1500567.
There have been no notable arrests of fake medical mask producers and/or distributors ever since the matter was flagged by local media outlets.
