Health Bill Solution, John Riady Confident It Will Benefit the Public

JAKARTA, March 6, 2023 — John Riady, President Commissioner of PT Siloam International Hospitals Tbk (SILO), expressed his confidence that all stakeholders will find a resolution to the ongoing debate regarding the Draft Health Bill (RUU Kesehatan), ultimately strengthening Indonesia’s healthcare system and benefiting the wider public.

John hopes that stakeholders will sit together to find the best solutions so the Health Bill remains people-centered and focused on improving healthcare quality.

“The Health Bill is designed to be a regulation that addresses Indonesia’s health challenges—from improving service delivery to the public, strengthening the quality of healthcare professionals, ensuring equitable distribution of medical specialists, to advancing the healthcare industry,” said John in a written statement received on Monday (March 6, 2023).

He affirmed SILO’s commitment, as a private hospital network, to continuously support the government’s efforts in building a high-quality, reliable, and equitable national healthcare system. One of SILO’s goals is to reduce the number of Indonesians seeking medical treatment abroad.

Quoting President Joko Widodo, John highlighted that 2 million Indonesian citizens sought medical treatment abroad in 2022 — 1 million to Malaysia, 750,000 to Singapore, and the remaining 250,000 to Japan, Germany, and the United States. This medical tourism caused an estimated loss of IDR 165 trillion in foreign exchange.

“I believe all stakeholders can come together with a shared intention and vision: to build a healthcare system that is high-quality, reliable, and equitable,” John added.

He acknowledged that Indonesia’s healthcare system still faces many issues, with a key challenge being the shortage and uneven distribution of medical specialists.

“The main issue stems from the imbalance between the healthcare workforce and service coverage, considering the vast geography and large population,” he explained.

To improve and equalize healthcare access and quality, Indonesia must produce more specialists. Based on data from the Indonesian Medical Council (KKI), the country has only 54,000 medical specialists—a stark mismatch for a population of 275 million, equating to a ratio of 2:10,000.

The specialist shortage is even more acute in remote regions. Of the 647 regional general hospitals (RSUD), many lack critical specialists such as anesthesiologists, surgeons, gynecologists, obstetricians, and pediatricians.

“As a result, healthcare services are vulnerable and uneven. From a business and macroeconomic perspective, our healthcare industry remains uncompetitive, and we lose around IDR 100 trillion in foreign exchange annually due to outbound medical travel,” John continued.

According to John, the Health Bill aims to significantly increase the number of healthcare workers, especially medical specialists. The proposed regulation would streamline the current lengthy education path for specialist doctors—from medical school to clinical internships (co-ass) and professional practice.

Prospective specialists would also be required to obtain recommendations from local governments and professional associations, as well as secure a registration certificate (STR) and practice license.

However, this simplification has sparked controversy, with critics arguing that it marginalizes professional organizations and concentrates too much control in the hands of the Ministry of Health.

“I believe these differences in opinion can be resolved by stakeholders, as they all share the same goal: improving healthcare quality and equity,” said John.

He added that fundamentally, the availability of healthcare professionals, especially specialists, depends on upstream support from the education system. Indonesia has 92 medical faculties, but only 20 offer specialist programs.

Therefore, John reiterated SILO’s commitment, as part of the Lippo Group, to help reduce the burden on the government.

“SILO’s human resources are closely linked with UPH’s educational institutions (Universitas Pelita Harapan), also part of Lippo Group. We also support specialist development through facilities like the Mochtar Riady Comprehensive Cancer Center (MRCCC),” he explained.

Another controversial point in the draft bill is the regulation concerning the National Social Security System (SJSN) and BPJS Kesehatan’s role.

John stressed the importance of involving all relevant parties, including employers, since the system directly relates to the rights and obligations of both employers and employees.

“Everyone wants a reliable and high-quality social security system. It’s essential that the business sector’s voice is also heard,” he added.

Meanwhile, SILO, which operates 41 healthcare facilities, has already partnered with BPJS Kesehatan.

“This is a form of our commitment. Healthcare is not just about profitability; it is about delivering service for all,” John concluded. (*)