Indonesia's Pain Specialists: Global Recognition but Patients Still Seek Treatment Overseas
Indonesia’s medical community faces a stark irony. While Indonesian pain specialists are routinely invited to teach and examine at global certification programs in cities like Miami, Taipei, the Netherlands, Budapest, and London, domestic patients continue to flock to Malaysia and Taiwan for treatment.
This phenomenon is particularly evident in chronic and musculoskeletal pain management. Dr. Theresia CT Novy, SpKFR, FIPM, FIPP, CIPS, Founder and Program Director of the Pain Management Network (PMN), shared her experiences teaching in Malaysia.
‘Doctors there tell me they’re waiting for 20 patients, most from Indonesia, paying even higher fees locally. Jakarta patients even fly to Taiwan for Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) therapy. We need to change the mindset that Indonesia is capable,’ said Novy, who also serves as an international examiner for the World Institute of Pain.
Uneven information access and limited specialist availability in remote areas leave millions of pain patients confused about where to seek care. Many remain unaware that pain management requires a multidisciplinary approach through Interventional Pain Management (IPM), which demands specialised skills beyond standard specialist training.
To address this, PMN is collaborating with Pusbangki FKUI (Indonesian Medical Development Centre) to standardise education. This initiative is foundational to achieving the ‘Indonesia Free from Pain 2030’ vision.
Modern medical pain management follows a step-ladder approach: starting with physical rehabilitation, medications, interventional procedures (IPM), and finally surgery. Indonesia now applies cutting-edge regenerative therapies such as stem cell therapy.
Using high-resolution imaging like ultrasound or C-Arm guidance, stem cells are precisely injected into damaged tissues (muscles, joints, nerves, or ligaments) to address the root cause, not just mask pain.
However, Novy stresses efficiency: ‘We train doctors to choose the right tools. If a simple, cost-effective intervention can resolve the issue, that should come first—no need to jump straight to multi-million rupiah procedures,’ she added.
Dr. Irzan Nurman, Head of Pusbangki FKUI’s UKK unit, highlighted the need for institutional legitimacy to ensure quality domestic healthcare without the burden of overseas treatment costs.
Similarly, Senior Professor Darto Satoto, Sp.An-TI, recently awarded the 2026 Lifetime Achievement Award, is optimistic about meeting the 2030 target through interdisciplinary collaboration.
Despite widespread efforts, major challenges remain. PMN and Pusbangki FKUI urge the Ministry of Health to provide structural support, including easier access to continuing education and empowering pain specialists nationwide, so patients no longer need to seek treatment abroad.