Ministry of Health: Indonesia Lacks 92,000 Doctors, Launches Hospital-Based Specialist Programme
The Director General of Advanced Health at the Ministry of Health, Azhar Jaya, stated that Indonesia still lacks 92,000 doctors, especially in underdeveloped, border, and island regions (DTPK).
“Specifically for doctors, I can mention that our country still needs around 92,000 general practitioners, 129,000 dentists, and 51,000 specialists,” said Azhar during the Orientation of the PPDS RSPPU Period II 2025-2026 in Jakarta, Wednesday (25/2).
To meet this need, the Ministry of Health is launching a hospital-based specialist education programme to be implemented in Leading Educational Hospitals (RSPPU).
“This programme is to complement and synergise with existing specialist education programmes at universities. So, the hospital-based and university-based programmes should not be seen as competing. They are mutually supportive,” said Azhar.
Thus, the public now has two options for becoming a specialist: through a university-based programme, which does not involve a service agreement, or through a hospital-based programme, which has obligations that must be fulfilled in exchange for scholarships, salaries, and other benefits.
The current number of participants in the hospital-based programme is 58, consisting of 10 people in the paediatrics programme, 10 in the ophthalmology programme, 12 in the neurology programme, 10 in the cardiology and vascular programme, 10 in the orthopaedics and traumatology programme, and 6 in the radiation oncology programme.
Azhar said that after graduating, these specialist doctors will be dedicated to serving areas that need them, not just in Java.
“They will be placed in Sumatra (18 people), Bangka Belitung (3 people), Kalimantan (12 people), Sulawesi (6 people), Maluku (6 people), Papua (6 people), and NTT (7 people),” he said.
He said that if, after graduating, specialist doctors leave and do not fulfil their commitment to serve in their assigned areas, the Ministry of Health can withhold their practice permits.
“So, they cannot go anywhere. They must return to the area and serve there. And, God willing, with the current government policies, we have paid attention to the issue of doctor incentives,” he said.
In addition, with the support of the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemendiktisaintek) and the Ministry of Health, 52 RSPPUs and 55 programmes will be launched in 2026. (Iam/P-3)
The Ministry of Health has affirmed that hospitals must not refuse patients participating in the PBI programme with temporarily inactive JKN status for up to three months.
The four universities that are opening specialisation and sub-specialisation programmes are Unpad, Unisba, Unjani, and Universitas Maranatha.
The issue of a doctor shortage has been a long-standing problem in this country for decades.
The Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, often emphasises that the country lacks doctors.
The Indonesian government has established cooperation with the governments of China, India, Japan, and South Korea to send 100 doctors each year.