Prabowo Commits to Accelerating Equitable Healthcare Services Across Indonesia

President Prabowo Subianto has affirmed his commitment to accelerating the equal distribution of healthcare services to remote areas. From West Pesisir Regency, Lampung, the President unveiled a major government plan to build and modernise hundreds of regional hospitals over the next three years. The commitment was made during the inauguration of the KH Muhammad Thohir Krui Regional General Hospital on Wednesday (10/6). According to Prabowo, improving the quality of healthcare services is a crucial part of the government’s efforts to build a strong economy and ensure the benefits of development are directly felt by the public. “We want to build a good, strong economy. We want to manage our natural resources, our wealth, so that we can provide better services to the people,” said Prabowo. Prabowo admitted he remains concerned about various healthcare service issues occurring in the regions, including cases of residents losing their lives due to delays in receiving medical assistance. “I am concerned, I heard that someone died from bleeding, because going to the hospital during childbirth takes a long time. This must be overcome. The government will continue to improve healthcare services,” he said. To address these issues, the government has prepared a major programme for the modernisation of national healthcare services. Prabowo said the government is targeting the construction or renovation of between 350 and 400 hospitals across all regencies within the next three years. In addition, 10,000 community health centres will also be repaired and modernised so that the public has better access to services. “I have planned together with the Minister of Health and the Government that in the next 3 years, we will build, or if possible improve, renovate 400, 350 to 400 hospitals in all regencies in Indonesia,” he said. The government has also begun distributing modern medical equipment to regional hospitals. To date, nearly one thousand units of medical devices have been distributed to health facilities in 514 regencies and cities. Prabowo noted that the programme is already underway, with 22 regional general hospitals built throughout 2025, and the government planning to build another 22 regional hospitals in 2026. From the initial target, the first 20 hospitals have even been completed and have begun serving the public. Speaking to regional governments and hospital managers, Prabowo stressed the importance of professional governance free from corrupt practices. He stated that hospitals must provide real benefits to the community. “I urge that this hospital be managed well, kept clean, and run with professional, transparent management oriented towards serving the people and the community,” he asserted. Prabowo also placed high hopes on the K.H. Muhammad Thohir Krui Regional General Hospital, which has now become the main referral hospital in the West Pesisir region. He requested that all services be provided maximally and be affordable for the community. “I hope this RSUD Kiai Haji Muhammad Tohir Krui will become a healthcare service centre that satisfies the people of the west coast,” he said. Meanwhile, Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin explained that the hospital’s construction was undertaken because the Krui area, with a population of around 170,000, previously only had one class D hospital with limited service quality. Under the President’s directive, the hospital is part of the programme to build 66 hospitals prepared to handle the five leading causes of death, namely stroke, heart disease, cancer, kidney disease, and maternal and child services. “It only had one hospital for 170,000 people, class D and low service quality. So, following your orders, Bapak, we are very grateful for the trust. 66 hospitals, including this one, were built to be able to serve stroke, heart, cancer, kidney, and maternal and child patients,” said Budi. He added that the hospital building was completed with a budget of approximately Rp150 billion. The government is currently equipping it with various modern medical devices worth tens of billions of rupiah, including a CT scan, cath lab, mammography, chemotherapy facilities, and eight haemodialysis units for dialysis services. Budi is optimistic that all equipment can be operational within about two months after the delivery process is complete and supported by adequate medical personnel. In addition to physical construction and medical device procurement, the Ministry of Health is also preparing a hospital governance assistance system through Sardjito Hospital in Yogyakarta. This step is taken so that the newly built regional general hospital can operate in a sound, professional, and sustainable manner in serving the public.