BPS Urges Healthcare Businesses to Participate in 2026 Economic Census

Statistics Indonesia (BPS), together with the Ministry of Health, is encouraging business actors in the health sector to actively participate in the 2026 Economic Census. The decennial data collection exercise is expected to comprehensively map changes in economic activity and serve as a foundation for evidence-based policy formulation.

This appeal was delivered by BPS Chief Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti during a socialisation event for the 2026 Economic Census held with the Ministry of Health in Jakarta on Thursday, 11 June 2026. Amalia explained that the Economic Census involves the complete enumeration of all business activities in Indonesia, unlike surveys which rely on samples. Consequently, all business actors are targeted for recording. ‘Because this is a census, the target is for 100 per cent of business actors to be accurately recorded. If there are any still unrecorded, it is not a census,’ Amalia stated.

She assessed that the census is crucial because the economic landscape is constantly changing, including in the health sector. Services previously dominated by face-to-face consultations are now evolving onto digital platforms. The distribution of medicines and medical devices is also undergoing transformation alongside technological advances. To accommodate these changes, BPS has updated the 2025 Indonesian Standard Industrial Classification (KBLI) so that new types of economic activities can be recorded.

‘All these changes must be measured. There is no stronger basis for formulating economic policy than complete and accurate data,’ Amalia said. She noted that the results of the 2026 Economic Census will serve as a kind of ‘general check-up’ for the Indonesian economy. Through this data, the government can obtain an up-to-date picture of the national economic condition, ensuring that policies are better targeted.

Specifically within the health sector, the census results will be used to complement the formulation of the Health Satellite Account currently being developed by BPS and the Ministry of Health. To date, health economic recording has remained focused on expenditure; going forward, its scope will be expanded to include economic activities, investment, and trade in health products. To support the census implementation, the Ministry of Health has submitted data on 89,511 health businesses to BPS, ranging from large-scale to micro enterprises.

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin urged all healthcare business actors to actively participate in the data collection. He emphasised the crucial role of associations and healthcare service facilities so that the government has an adequate database. Budi noted that around 3,200 hospitals, 10,000 public health centres (puskesmas), 15,000 clinics, 10,000 independent practice doctors, 12,000 pharmacies, and approximately 6,000 health laboratories are expected to take part in the 2026 Economic Census.

‘If the submitted data is wrong, the resulting policies will also be wrong. Ensure all members participate so we have correct data and can adopt appropriate policies,’ he said. He also assured that data submitted by businesses would be kept confidential and not used for taxation purposes. The data, he added, is needed to formulate regulations that drive the growth of the health industry. The 2026 Economic Census marks the seventh national economic census since it was first conducted in 1986. Results are scheduled to begin publication next year.