Govt, The Lancet teams up improving RI's health system by research

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Health Ministry and The Lancet medical journal launched a commission aimed at strengthening Indonesia's healthcare system to ensure its quality services accessible nationwide, including in remote areas, through evidence-based research.

During the launch of Commission for The Lancet Regional Health–Western Pacific: Reimagining Healthcare in Indonesia for 2045, Indonesia's Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin mentioned there are four strategic health targets for the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision, including increasing life expectancy, improving healthy-adjusted life expectancy (HALE), maintaining the total fertility rate (TFR), and achieving meaningful universal health coverage (UHC).

"Number one, we want to increase the average life expectancy from 72 to 76 (years old). So now, I am 62 (years old). I want to live not only for another 10 years, but also I want to live for another 14 years," Sadikin said here on Monday.

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He noted average life expectancy in Indonesia rose to 74 years old in 2025 and expressed his optimism the country could surpass its target to 76 years old.

"By the way, (average life of expectancy) in the US is 79 years old. So we are not bad. In China, I think the average is 76 years old now and China's Communist Party has planned to increase it from 76 to 78 years old, if I'm not mistaken," Sadikin noted.

The second target is to raise Indonesia's HALE from 60 to 65 years old, he added, allowing people to enjoy their mature age without being burdened by debilitating conditions, such as stroke, dementia, or other chronic illnesses.

Regarding to the TFR, Sadikin said the Ministry of Population and Family Development is now undertaking the efforts to achieve the targeted outcomes.

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Furthermore, on UHC, Sadikin emphasised the need to improve Indonesia's services coverage index, which according to him is often mistaken as participation in the National Health Insurance (JKN) programme.

He stated that Indonesia’s UHC covers 99 per cent of the population and offers the best coverage in the world. However, he said, there is a document which states that Indonesia’s UHC ranks 122nd globally.

"The definition of UHC in Indonesia is the number of people holding a BPJS card. But, that is not what it is meant to be. You have a BPJS card, you go to hospital, (but) you can’t be treated because the hospital isn’t ready. That is not what you could call UHC," Sadikin explained.

He added those four strategic policies have been translated into 41 indicators to be achieved by 2029. Sadikin hopes the research carried out will align with this framework.

"So, if you want to do research, please do research according to this framework. And there are many data that are available now," he said.

Sadikin cited, for example, the research includes on HPV vaccination and the use of ultrasound examinations on reducing maternal and child mortality rates. The findings on those topics will be published in The Lancet Regional Health-Western Pacific.

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Reporter: Mecca Yumna Ning Prisie

Editor: Fransiska Ninditya

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