Indonesia upgrades three major hospitals with AIIB support
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia is modernizing and integrating three state-owned hospitals with support from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), in what Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin on Thursday called a long-term investment in human capital and future productivity.
“The best investment that provides the highest return is investing in people. That means investing in education and health infrastructure,” Sadikin said.
The project covers Harapan Kita Mother and Child Hospital, Dharmais Cancer Hospital and Harapan Kita Cardiovascular Hospital.
Sadikin said many child patients treated at the facilities suffer from conditions such as Down syndrome, leukemia and type 1 diabetes, some of them chronic.
He noted that such illnesses are common among children nationwide and warned that poor health outcomes would ultimately reduce their future economic contribution.
“If they fail to live healthy lives, their productivity and future GDP contribution will decline significantly,” he said.
AIIB is financing infrastructure upgrades, medical equipment procurement and training programs to ensure healthcare professionals can operate advanced technology and deliver quality services.
Health Ministry Director General for Advanced Health Azhar Jaya said the initiative aims to build a fully integrated ecosystem linking the three hospitals.
“This integration is designed to create a one-stop, world-class medical hub by removing physical and operational silos between the three national centers of excellence, ensuring faster response and a holistic approach to complex cases,” Jaya said.
The project aligns with Indonesia’s broader health transformation agenda, including reducing preventable maternal and neonatal deaths, limiting the need for overseas treatment, expanding access to specialist care at home and narrowing regional health disparities.
AIIB President Zou Jiayi said the bank’s support would help modernize facilities, upgrade equipment and strengthen capacity building to enable earlier diagnosis, better treatment and more equitable access nationwide.
Jiayi said she met a young patient who presented her with a handmade craft and shared her dream of becoming an astronaut.
“I truly hope her dream comes true,” Jiayi said. “If it does, it means we have all succeeded.”
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Indonesia upgrades three major hospitals with AIIB support
February 26, 2026 16:21 GMT+700
Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin. ANTARA/Mecca Yumna (Mecca Yumna)