South Sumatra Governor Launches Pelita Sumsel Programme, Providing Free Eye Surgery
The Governor of South Sumatra, Herman Deru, has launched the Pelita Sumsel programme, a blindness prevention screening initiative coupled with free eye surgery for the public. This programme is a collaboration between the South Sumatra Provincial Government, Bank Sumsel Babel (BSB), and Binar Eye Hospital.
“This programme is a form of care for public eye health and an effort to expand access to eye healthcare services, particularly for those requiring surgical procedures,” said Herman Deru in a written statement on Wednesday (30/09/2026).
Herman Deru stated that the programme was introduced to address the difficulties faced by the community in accessing eye healthcare services, whether due to travel distance or limited facilities in regional hospitals.
“Seven years ago, I instructed BSB to organise activities such as this. The goal is so that South Sumatran citizens in need of eye surgery can receive an initial diagnosis at regional hospitals and subsequently receive a re-diagnosis and treatment at Binar Eye Hospital,” Herman Deru remarked.
He requested that BSB actively socialise the programme to the wider public to ensure that no citizens delay treatment due to cost constraints or lack of information.
On this occasion, Herman Deru emphasised the importance of excellent service and diagnostic accuracy by healthcare professionals. According to him, patient trust is a key element in providing healthcare services.
“I ask the healthcare workers to provide the best possible service. Diagnostic accuracy must be correct. If accuracy is flawed, it is what leads patients to prefer seeking treatment abroad, or even choosing traditional healers. Therefore, building patient trust is very important,” he said.
Herman Derud also encouraged the implementation of proactive service innovations, such as eye examinations targeting schools. He noted that these examinations should be conducted not only at the senior high school level but also for junior high and primary schools.
Meanwhile, the Director of Binar Eye Hospital, Dr Lady Kovatiner, explained that this year the programme received a CSR fund allocation of IDR 350 million. The partnership between BSB and Binar Eye Hospital has been established since 2019.
“The surgeries performed are not limited to cataracts; we also run the ‘Penggaris’ programme, which provides free glasses to schools through screening,” Lady explained.
Patients treated this year originate from Banyuasin Regency, Ogan Ilir, Muara Enim, and Palembang City.
She added that South Sumatra has now almost achieved 100 per cent Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
Similarly, the President Director of BSB, Muhammad Suryadi, reaffirmed BSB’s ongoing commitment to social welfare through CSR programmes, including the allocation of IDR 350 million for the free eye surgery implementation.
“If someone suffers from eye disease, they will be unproductive. This CSR activity cannot run alone; it requires cooperation with the South Sumatra Provincial Government and Binar Eye Hospital. This is a manifestation of BSB’s care, with the hope of restoring the vision of the beneficiaries,” he concluded.