Jakarta, April 8 -- The Indonesian government has imported 20 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) laboratory test machines from Roche, Switzerland, to be then distributed to 11 provinces to expedite response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 11 provinces to receive the diagnostic test equipment are Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, East Java, Bali, Lampung, South Sumatra, North Sumatra, East Kalimantan, South Sulawesi, and Papua, Arya Mahendra Sinulingga, special staff of the state-owned enterprises (SOEs) minister, stated.

"We will send these as soon as possible. Hopefully, after they are installed, they will reach the destinations within two weeks," he stated at a press conference at Graha BNPB here on Wednesday.

The government has bought 20...