Health Minister: Economic Census to Boost Health Sector Towards 8 Per Cent Growth

Jakarta - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin has stated that the 2026 Economic Census can help formulate the right policies in the health sector through accurate data collection, thereby boosting economic growth to 8 per cent. “So that when the data comes in, we have correct data, we can make the right policies, so we can grow together. If the data that comes in is wrong, the policies we take will also be wrong,” Budi said in Jakarta on Thursday. He noted that among the sectors contributing to the 5.61 per cent economic growth, the third largest contributor was healthcare services at 7.6 per cent. The first, he said, was hotels, food and beverages, and the second was transport. Meanwhile, the agricultural sector was ranked fourth, and industry fifth. “So, if we have a technocratic discussion about how to increase growth to 8 per cent by focusing on industry, when historically industry is only 5 per cent, that 8 per cent target will not be achieved. We must direct our time and energy to boost sectors whose growth is above the national average,” Budi explained. Therefore, he said, data collection is crucial in the health sector. He noted that the healthcare industry consists of three parts: pharmaceuticals, healthcare services, and medical devices. The Health Minister pointed to several developments in these three industries, where the pharmaceutical industry reached 7.5 per cent compared to last year, healthcare services 7.6 per cent, and the medical device industry 12 per cent compared to last year. “If we push them, they could absorb a workforce contribution of 2 million new jobs every year,” he said. With accurate data, appropriate regulations can be created and innovation can be pursued in various sectors with low productivity. “The private sector’s contribution to the Indonesian economy is greater. Just look at the GDP, for example, 17 trillion rupiah, or 1 trillion US dollars, that is 17 thousand trillion rupiah. The state budget is only 4 thousand trillion rupiah. The larger portion lies within the private sector,” he said. Budi also invited pharmaceutical associations, hospitals, pharmacies, and laboratories to actively participate in the 2026 Economic Census. He also stressed that the data provided is guaranteed confidentiality and is not intended for tax collection. “This is truly for us to analyse,” he stated.