The Indonesian government estimates that some two million Indonesians travel overseas every year for medical check-ups, treatment and other medical services, spending around IDR 97 trillion (USD 6.8 billion) annually. In a bid to help reduce this outflow, the government is developing the country’s own destination for medical tourism in the resort island of Bali.
Indonesia’s Ministry of State-owned Enterprises has partnered with US-based Mayo Clinic to develop the Bali International Hospital in Sanur. The hospital, which is located in a newly-closed 41-hectare golf course in Bali, will have 300 wards and space for 30 intensive care beds, in addition to a nursing school and also an academic research center to fill a requirement for more specialized care. Foreign doctors will be allowed to actively practice in Indonesia for the first time as the hospital is located in the country’s first health-related special economic zone. The Mayo Clinic will be advising on its development, planning and design and also in honing administrative efficiencies and effectiveness when it begins operations in mid-2023.
It is interesting to note that Singapore plays an important role in providing second-opinion diagnosis and specialist care to Indonesians, with many affluent Indonesians traveling there for easily-treatable minor ailments as well. In Singapore, the most sought treatments for Indonesian patients are heart valve surgery, coronary artery bypass surgery, total knee replacement, cataract surgery, endoscopy and colonoscopy, according to MediSata Indonesia, which helps Indonesians get healthcare services in Singapore and Malaysia. The costs range from USD 1,500 for an endoscopy to USD 55,000 for coronary artery bypass surgery.
(Sources: Asia Times; The Straits Times)
