The Indonesian government is mulling over a plan to develop “medical tourism”(Source: Shutterstock)Jakarta (VNA) – The Indonesian government is mulling over a plan to develop “medicaltourism” in a bid to provide high-quality health care to the public and createa new source of national income.
The CoordinatingMaritime Affairs and Investment Minister Office’s spokesman Jodi Mahardi saidsuch a move could potentially bolster the country’s medical independence.
A report by PwC showedthat 600,000 Indonesians sought medical treatment overseas in 2015 – the mostin the world, he said.
Patients in Indonesiain general prefer overseas health care, citing lackluster domestic medicalservices related to the treatment of certain diseases.
He went on to say thatthe development of medical tourism in Indonesia was not only feasible, but alsohighly lucrative given the steady increase in the number of medical touristsaround the globe.
Indonesia’s SoutheastAsian neighbours, such as Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia, have alreadydeveloped medical tourism.
Medical tourism, headded, could also serve as a catalyst for job creation and a more diversifiedeconomy in the country.
With such a goal, the Indonesiangovernment has mulled over a plan to build international hospitals staffed withhighly trained health professionals from other countries, in collaboration withrelated state departments and organisations, such as the Indonesian DoctorsAssociation (IDI).
The plan to developmedical tourism in the country has been years in the making. In 2017, theTourism Ministry and the Health Ministry signed a memorandum of understandingon the development of medical and health tourism, which was touted as aflagship of special interest tourism./.
