The Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BBPOM) in Jakarta together with the Seribu Islands Regency Government continues to strengthen drug and food supervision.

The Head of the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BBPOM) in Jakarta, Sofiyani Chandrawati Anwar, said that efforts to optimize supervision are carried out by consolidating to discuss a number of concrete agendas, starting from the assessment of safe food districts, monitoring the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program, to controlling antimicrobial resistance.

"We are coordinating the implementation of drug and food monitoring duties, including plans to establish a Food and Drug Monitoring Center (POM) in the Seribu Islands. We greatly appreciate the support of the district government's commitment to this issue," she said, Friday (3/27).

Sofiyani explained the unique challenges faced in the Seribu Islands, which lack conventional pharmaceutical facilities like pharmacies or official drug stores. As a result, the distribution of various products, including herbal medicines, supplements, prescription drugs, and cosmetics, is still largely carried out through small retail outlets.

"If not properly monitored, this circulation risks triggering antimicrobial resistance which will have a wide impact on public health," she added.

As a strategic step, Sofiyani continued, BBPOM is encouraging the establishment of a Food and Drug Monitoring Center (Loka POM) in the region. This facility is expected to shorten the monitoring distance and facilitate public access to services.

"We've also scheduled intensive monitoring for June and July. The goal is simple but crucial: ensuring that products in circulation don't just make it into the hands of consumers," she explained.

Meanwhile, Deputy Regent of Seribu Islands, Aceng Zaini welcomed this collaboration as a form of shared commitment to tightening supervision and maintaining food quality.

According to him, this synergy is not just a short-term project, but rather part of an ongoing effort to improve the quality of public health.

"The results are starting to show, one of the examples is a reduction in stunting rates. We will ensure that public health remains a primary focus of development in the Seribu Islands," he stated.