Health Ministry Denies Allegations of Medical Equipment Budget Mark-Up at Lampung Hospital
The Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) has dismissed rumours circulating on social media regarding alleged budget inflation for the procurement of haemodialysis (HD) services at RSUD KH Muhammad Thohir Krui in West Pesisir, Lampung. Head of the Bureau of Communication and Public Information, Aji Muhawarman, stated that the hospital received medical equipment support totalling Rp56.7 billion. He explained that the Rp30 billion figure mentioned by Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin during a dialogue with President Prabowo Subianto at the hospital’s inauguration referred to the total procurement value of advanced medical equipment for each of the 66 regional hospitals included in the Quick Win Programme (PHTC). Under the Strengthening Indonesia’s Healthcare Referral Network (SIHREN) programme, each hospital receives advanced medical equipment support worth more than Rp30 billion, including cath labs, 64-slice CT scanners, echocardiography machines, and mammography units. Aji clarified that RSUD Krui itself received approximately Rp31.7 billion this year for such advanced equipment, a figure not limited to haemodialysis services. Additionally, each hospital receives basic medical equipment support ranging from Rp20 billion to Rp30 billion, with RSUD Krui obtaining around Rp25 billion for the 2025 and 2026 fiscal years. This includes bed patients, defibrillators, anaesthesia machines, patient monitors, ICU patient monitors, syringe pumps, ultrasound devices, and ventilators for adult, paediatric, and anaesthesia use, as well as ICU bed sets, general surgery instruments, sectio caesaria instruments, mobile X-ray units, operating lamps, operating tables, plasma sterilizers, infusion pumps, and various emergency and operating theatre support tools. Aji urged the public not to be misled by hoaxes suggesting the minister had inflated prices. He expressed hope that strengthening RSUD Krui would improve healthcare access and quality for the West Pesisir community, reducing the need for referrals outside the region.