Government ramps up number of specialists with inauguration of PPDS in Gorontalo
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek) officially launched the Specialist Medical Education Programme (PPDS) in Anesthesiology and Intensive Care at the Faculty of Medicine, Gorontalo State University (UNG) in a bid to accelerate the supply of specialist doctors in eastern Indonesia.
“Opening this specialist medical education programme is a concrete step in meeting the health-service needs that require expertise across regions, especially in eastern Indonesia,” said Director General of Higher Education Khairul Munadi in a Jakarta statement on Wednesday.
Khairul noted the government aims to open 148 PPDS programmes across 57 medical faculties nationwide. To date, this achievement has surpassed the target with the opening of 160 specialist programmes.
“The commitment to strengthening health services through higher education is on track, even surpassing the targets set. We are on a fast, dynamic and forward-looking path,” he asserted.
Furthermore, UNG Rector Eduart Wolok described the moment as a strategic achievement for the institution. He said the trust placed in UNG by Kemdiktisaintek is a source of pride as well as a heavy responsibility for the entire academic community.
Eduart considered the opening of the Specialist Programme in Anesthesiology and Intensive Care highly strategic in addressing the need for specialist doctors in Gorontalo and the Tomini Gulf region.
So far, access to specialist medical education in eastern Indonesia has been limited, with relatively few institutions offering programmes, including Hasanuddin University and Sam Ratulangi University.
Therefore, Eduart hopes that the presence of the PPDS at UNG will accelerate the supply of specialist doctors in under-served areas, while also opening opportunities for the development of other specialist programmes in the future.
Meanwhile, Gorontalo Governor Gusnar Ismail expressed appreciation for Kemdiktisaintek’s attention to higher education development in Gorontalo, particularly amid various constraints. He said his administration is ready to support strengthening the UNG Faculty of Medicine, including encouraging collaboration with universities and involvement of the private sector to ensure sustainability and quality of specialist education.
“Attention from Kemdiktisaintek for Gorontalo is a major support for us. This is an important moment to drive improvements in health service quality through education,” Ismail said.