Malang City Strengthens Healthcare Services as a Development Priority
The Malang City government has positioned the health sector as a key pillar of sustainable development, aiming to ensure all citizens have access to quality, equitable, and easily accessible healthcare services. Under the leadership of Mayor Wahyu Hidayat and Deputy Mayor Ali Muthohirin, health has been made a development priority through the ‘Dasa Bakti Unggulan Ngalam Tahes’ programme. This initiative includes strengthening primary healthcare services, improving the quality of hospitals and community health centres (Puskesmas), digitalising services, accelerating stunting reduction, enhancing maternal and child health, and bolstering promotive and preventive care. This strengthening of the health sector also supports the Asta Cita vision of the President and Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, particularly in strengthening human resources and improving the quality of basic services towards a Golden Indonesia 2045. One of the city’s main priorities is strengthening Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to ensure all residents have health insurance protection regardless of economic constraints. This effort is carried out through collaboration with BPJS Kesehatan, the central government, the East Java Provincial Government, and support from the regional budget (APBD) for financing Regional Contribution Beneficiaries (PBID). This commitment is reflected in the increasing coverage of the National Health Insurance (JKN), which rose from 94.77% in early 2021 to 105.85% as of 1 January 2026. For this achievement, Malang City received the 2026 Universal Health Coverage Awards in the main category, recognising its success in providing inclusive health protection for the community. Mayor Wahyu Hidayat stated that public health is the foundation of development, and the city continues to strive to deliver healthcare services that are increasingly accessible, high-quality, and equitable. He emphasised that health services are not merely about meeting performance targets but about ensuring every citizen’s right to a healthy and productive life. The strengthening of healthcare has positively impacted various regional development indicators, with data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) showing life expectancy reached 75.88 years in 2025, above the national average, while the Human Development Index rose to 85.55, economic growth hit 5.92%, and the poverty rate fell to 3.85%. The city government is also enhancing service quality through healthcare digitalisation, improved referral systems, strengthened primary health facilities, and collaboration with hospitals, BPJS Kesehatan, universities, professional organisations, Posyandu cadres, businesses, and the community. This pentahelix approach is expected to increase the effectiveness of health services while expanding their reach. Mayor Wahyu affirmed that improving healthcare quality will remain a priority, as fast, easy, and high-quality access is key to enhancing the quality of life and productivity of the community.