Self-Medication Rates Drop to 78.43 Per Cent

The Indonesian Central Statistics Agency (BPS) has stated that the proportion of the population choosing to self-medicate has fallen from 84.23% in 2021 to 78.43% in 2025, indicating an increase in public confidence in healthcare services.

Deputy Head of BPS, Sonny Harry Budiutomo Harmadi, noted that the decline in morbidity rates and unmet needs also reflects improved access to healthcare services. In 2021, the morbidity rate stood at 14.64% with unmet needs at 5.44%, whereas in 2025, the morbidity rate decreased to 12.66% and unmet needs to 5.32%.

“However, the decrease in morbidity and improved access to healthcare does not automatically mean that every health decision made by the public is correct,” Sonny said in Jakarta on Monday.

He explained that nearly 20% of monthly household expenditure is dedicated to food, alongside healthcare expenses for self-purchased medicines. “Consequently, when ill, 47% of sick Indonesians choose to purchase medicines themselves rather than following a prescription,” he added.

This decision to purchase medicines and food independently suggests that the role of the Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (BPOM) is becoming increasingly significant in guaranteeing the safety, quality, and efficacy of products.

Therefore, he stated, BPOM must ensure that the public understands which products are legal and certified, how to use them, the risks of improper consumption, and how to distinguish between accurate and inaccurate health information.

“This is where data and data science play an increasingly vital role. Data does not only help us understand what is happening, but also helps us understand how and where such behaviours occur and which behavioural patterns require our attention,” he said.

His agency is committed to assisting BPOM in building a robust data ecosystem to ensure that policies are implemented based on science, so that the impact can be more widely felt by the community.

“We assist in the preparation of sampling methodologies for surveys conducted by BPOM, such as public awareness surveys regarding pharmaceutical preparations and processed foods,” he concluded.