Deputy Health Minister calls for strengthening of Sharia-compliant health services for the public
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Health Minister Dante Saksono Harbuwono has stated the need to strengthen Sharia-compliant health services that are not only superior in medical and technological aspects but also capable of meeting the spiritual needs of Indonesian society.
According to him, spiritual values are an inseparable part of Indonesian society's life, including in health services. This aligns with the First Principle of Pancasila, Belief in the One and Only God, which reflects Indonesia's identity as a religious nation.
'When someone is ill, what do they need most besides medicine and medical treatment? The answer is a sense of calm, respect, and confidence that they are being cared for in accordance with the values they believe in. For Indonesian society, this is not merely an additional comfort, but a fundamental spiritual need,' said Dante in Jakarta on Friday.
With a Muslim population reaching 87 per cent, he said, Indonesia has great potential to become the main destination for halal health services for both domestic and international patients.
'This potential demands our readiness to provide holistic Sharia-compliant health services,' he said.
He also appreciated the development of Sharia hospitals in Indonesia. Currently, 24 hospitals have obtained Sharia certification, spread across Java, Sumatra, to Kalimantan.
'This achievement is a real commitment to integrating religious principles into every line of health services,' he stated.
In addition to strengthening Sharia hospitals, he also highlighted the importance of support for the halal product ecosystem in the health sector. By 2026, approximately 44,000 pharmaceutical products have obtained halal certificates.
To strengthen these achievements, the Ministry of Health continues to strengthen collaboration with the Halal Product Assurance Organising Body (BPJPH), the National Committee for Sharia Economy and Finance (KNEKS), and the pharmaceutical industry.
'Certification is the foundation, but collaboration is the driving force. We need an integrated ecosystem from upstream to downstream to make Indonesia the world's leading centre for halal health tourism that is excellent medically and spiritually soothing,' he said.
Deputy Health Minister Dante hopes that the forum will produce concrete commitments that can be immediately implemented to support the realisation of a more holistic, inclusive, and dignified Indonesian health system.
On the same occasion, Chairman of the National Sharia Council of the Indonesian Ulema Council (DSN-MUI), KH Cholil Nafis, emphasised that Sharia certification in the health sector is universal and can be applied to all hospitals, whether government or private.
'We have conveyed to the Health Minister that this Sharia certification is not only intended for Islamic hospitals, but also open to government and private hospitals,' said Cholil.
According to him, Sharia hospitals present service standards based on Sharia values such as cleanliness, halal products, to Sharia financial systems that benefit the entire society.
He mentioned that all aspects of health services need to be ensured to meet halal principles, from medicines, medical devices, capsules, to injection materials. In addition, health services must prioritise patient comfort and peace.