(Jakarta, 16th) Indonesia is considering developing popular tourist destinations such as Bali and Labuan Bajo into strategic hubs for the medical tourism industry to reduce the number of Indonesian citizens seeking medical treatment abroad, thereby curbing the outflow of billions of dollars.
The Indonesian government also hopes to attract foreigners to receive quality medical services in a relaxed atmosphere and beautiful environment, helping the country generate new tourism revenue.
According to reports from the Jakarta Post and Kompas, Indonesian Health Minister Budi said in an interview on Thursday (June 12) that each year about 1 to 2 million Indonesians go abroad for medical treatment, with the main destinations being Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and the United States, causing Indonesia to lose approximately 163 trillion Indonesian Rupiah (about 42.3 billion Malaysian Ringgit) annually, equivalent to 1% of last year's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He stated that the massive outflow of funds highlights Indonesia's urgent need to develop high-quality medical tourism, particularly in tourist spots like Bali and Labuan Bajo, to encourage Indonesians to seek medical treatment domestically.
“In this way, people can not only spend money on enjoying beaches, art, or culture while on vacation but also enjoy quality medical services. This strategy also helps attract international tourists to participate in Indonesia's medical tourism.”
The Indonesian Ministry of Health estimates that the medical tourism industry is expected to contribute 1.36 trillion Indonesian Rupiah to Indonesia's GDP annually, and this number is expected to rise as people's life expectancy increases and the population ages.
To promote the medical tourism industry, the Indonesian government is making efforts to develop two economic zones focused on tourism and healthcare: the Sanur economic zone in Bali and the Batam economic zone in the Riau Islands.
Among them, the Sanur economic zone will become Indonesia's first integrated medical tourism area, and the first and largest integrated medical tourism area in Asia. Facilities here include hospitals, specialty clinics, medical research centers, hotels, and convention centers, expected to be officially launched by the end of this month.
This integrated medical tourism area, managed by Indonesian state-owned enterprise Injourney, is expected to generate 20 trillion Indonesian Rupiah in revenue for Indonesia by 2045.
Regarding the international medical tourism economic zone within the Batam economic zone, facilities include hospitals, nursing academies, conference halls, hotels, shops, and retirement villages, expected to begin operations next year, with the goal of attracting about 7 trillion Indonesian Rupiah in investment by 2032.
In addition to developing special zones, the Indonesian government is also striving to increase the number of doctors, having recently launched a residency training program and expanded the range of specialist doctor scholarships, as well as simplified the doctor licensing procedures.
Indonesia has a severe shortage of doctors, with a low population-to-doctor ratio of only 0.4 doctors per 1,000 people on average.
The Indonesian government also hopes to attract foreigners to receive quality medical services in a relaxed atmosphere and beautiful environment, helping the country generate new tourism revenue.
According to reports from the Jakarta Post and Kompas, Indonesian Health Minister Budi said in an interview on Thursday (June 12) that each year about 1 to 2 million Indonesians go abroad for medical treatment, with the main destinations being Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and the United States, causing Indonesia to lose approximately 163 trillion Indonesian Rupiah (about 42.3 billion Malaysian Ringgit) annually, equivalent to 1% of last year's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He stated that the massive outflow of funds highlights Indonesia's urgent need to develop high-quality medical tourism, particularly in tourist spots like Bali and Labuan Bajo, to encourage Indonesians to seek medical treatment domestically.
“In this way, people can not only spend money on enjoying beaches, art, or culture while on vacation but also enjoy quality medical services. This strategy also helps attract international tourists to participate in Indonesia's medical tourism.”
The Indonesian Ministry of Health estimates that the medical tourism industry is expected to contribute 1.36 trillion Indonesian Rupiah to Indonesia's GDP annually, and this number is expected to rise as people's life expectancy increases and the population ages.
To promote the medical tourism industry, the Indonesian government is making efforts to develop two economic zones focused on tourism and healthcare: the Sanur economic zone in Bali and the Batam economic zone in the Riau Islands.
Among them, the Sanur economic zone will become Indonesia's first integrated medical tourism area, and the first and largest integrated medical tourism area in Asia. Facilities here include hospitals, specialty clinics, medical research centers, hotels, and convention centers, expected to be officially launched by the end of this month.
This integrated medical tourism area, managed by Indonesian state-owned enterprise Injourney, is expected to generate 20 trillion Indonesian Rupiah in revenue for Indonesia by 2045.
Regarding the international medical tourism economic zone within the Batam economic zone, facilities include hospitals, nursing academies, conference halls, hotels, shops, and retirement villages, expected to begin operations next year, with the goal of attracting about 7 trillion Indonesian Rupiah in investment by 2032.
In addition to developing special zones, the Indonesian government is also striving to increase the number of doctors, having recently launched a residency training program and expanded the range of specialist doctor scholarships, as well as simplified the doctor licensing procedures.
Indonesia has a severe shortage of doctors, with a low population-to-doctor ratio of only 0.4 doctors per 1,000 people on average.