Health Ministry: Self-sufficiency in medical device production saves state budget

The Indonesian Ministry of Health (Kemenkes) has highlighted the success of the national health transformation in curbing medical device imports through self-sufficiency, strengthening domestic production capacity and innovation. Director General of Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices at the Ministry of Health, Lucia Rizka Andalusia, stated at the ASEAN–Japan Medical Devices Regulatory Symposium 2026 in Jakarta on Tuesday that in just three years, the local industry has developed endoscopic tools, including portable endoscopes built for remote areas. She added that next year, the first locally made CT Scanner will be developed through technology transfer. Rizka explained that these self-sufficiency measures have yielded tangible results. In 2025, dependence on imported endoscopic tools was successfully reduced from 100 percent to 84 percent, simultaneously saving the state USD 5.75 million. Beyond import substitution, she urged the ASEAN region, with its more than 680 million people and a combined economy of USD 3.8 trillion, to transform from merely a market into a global centre for medical device innovation and manufacturing. Meanwhile, Hiraiwa Masaru, Executive Director of Japan’s Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA), stated that the harmonisation of international standards and regulations plays a crucial role in reducing trade barriers. He affirmed Japan’s commitment to continue assisting ASEAN in enhancing regulatory capacity and quality management to align with global standards. Responding to this strategic collaboration, Prof. Mahmud Subandriyo, Vice Rector for Academic and Student Affairs at the University of Indonesia, reminded attendees that a robust health ecosystem also requires a strong pillar of academic research. As the event organiser, the university hopes the partnership between government, regulatory authorities, academia, and industry can create a resilient regional value network, where every medical technology advancement is anchored by a guarantee of public safety.