Indonesia reduces reliance on imported endoscopes

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia reduced its reliance on imported endoscopes from 100 percent to 84 percent in 2025, saving the country US$5.75 million as it accelerates domestic medical device production, the Ministry of Health announced on Tuesday.

The achievement reflects Indonesia's broader healthcare transformation, which prioritizes domestic manufacturing, technology transfer, and innovation to reduce dependence on foreign medical equipment while improving healthcare access, the ministry stated.

Lucia Rizka Andalusia, the ministry's Director General of Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices, said local manufacturers have rapidly expanded their capabilities over the past three years.

"In just three years, Indonesia's local industry has developed endoscopes, including portable versions designed for remote areas. Next year, we will also develop the first locally made CT scanner through technology transfer," Rizka told the ASEAN–Japan Medical Devices Regulatory Symposium 2026 in Jakarta.

The ministry noted that the decline in imports demonstrates the immediate economic benefits of strengthening domestic production alongside broader healthcare resilience.

Rizka emphasized that Indonesia's strategy extends beyond mere import substitution, aiming to position Southeast Asia as a global manufacturing and innovation hub for medical devices.

With a population of over 680 million and a combined economy worth US$3.8 trillion, ASEAN should move past serving as a consumer market and instead build robust regional production capabilities, she added.

Speaking at the same event Executive Director of Japan's Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) Hiraiwa Masaru said harmonized international regulations and standards are essential to reducing trade barriers and facilitating cross-border market access.

"Compliance with international regulations and standards supports market authorization. Governments are also responsible for ensuring patient safety through post-market surveillance and quality management of medical devices," Hiraiwa said.

He reaffirmed Japan's commitment to supporting ASEAN in strengthening its regulatory capacity and quality management systems in line with global standards.

Meanwhile, Vice Rector for Academic and Student Affairs at the University of Indonesia (UI) Prof. Mahmud Subandriyo noted that a resilient healthcare ecosystem also requires a strong academic research foundation.

As the symposium organizer, UI stated that collaboration among governments, regulatory authorities, universities, and industry players is expected to build a resilient regional value chain while ensuring advances in medical technology prioritize public safety.

Translator: Sean Filo Muhamad, Martha Herlinawati Simanjuntak

Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono

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