Jakarta. Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin reiterated his ministry’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with the Ministry of Defense in developing the Commander-in-Chief Soedirman National Defense Hospital (RSPPN) into an international-standard hospital. He made the announcement after a coordination meeting with the Defense Minister and the Head of the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) in Jakarta on Tuesday (October 7).
Minister of Health Budi explained that one of the Ministry of Health’s main focuses is improving the quality of human resources in health, particularly in TNI hospitals.
“One of the Minister of Defense’s goals is to make this hospital internationally recognized. To that end, we are pushing for its human resources to meet global standards,” said the Minister of Health.
To achieve this, the Ministry of Health will accelerate international collaboration through the Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA). This scheme will allow Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) doctors to study at the world’s best hospitals, while also bringing in international doctors and nurses to share their knowledge and expertise in Indonesia.
In addition, RSPPN Panglima Besar Soedirman will also be designated as a primary teaching hospital for seven basic specialty programs: pediatrics, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, surgery, anesthesia, radiology, and clinical pathology. This step aligns with President Prabowo Subianto’s directive to accelerate the need for specialist doctors throughout Indonesia.
“The President has instructed that every hospital in 514 districts/cities have seven basic specialist doctors. Currently, the biggest shortage isn’t medical equipment, but the availability of specialist doctors,” the Minister of Health explained.
The Minister of Health also emphasized the importance of integrating the TNI’s laboratory and pharmaceutical services with the national health system. These pharmaceutical products will be included in the health e-catalog so they can be used by health facilities throughout Indonesia, from community health centers to regional hospitals.
The Ministry of Health also opens up opportunities for collaborative research on the development of traditional Indonesian medicine with the Ministry of Defense, Telkom, and international partners, following the progress of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
“We want to develop Indonesian traditional medicine so that it can be equal and recognized internationally,” said the Minister of Health.
On the same occasion, the Minister of Health also provided an update on the free health check program, one of the best-proven programs under President Prabowo Subianto’s leadership.
“As of yesterday, 40 million people had registered, and 36 million of them had undergone free health checks. This is important so that people can be aware of their health conditions early so they can prevent illness,” he said.
He emphasized that the Ministry of Health’s main task is not only to treat sick people, but also to keep the community healthy.
“No matter how good a hospital is, if people are frequently hospitalized, the minister has failed. Our job is to ensure the public remains healthy,” the Minister of Health emphasized.
The free health check program will continue to be implemented every year as a form of the government’s commitment to maintaining public health in a sustainable manner.
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