Indonesian Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, and Minister of State of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, recently signed a Cooperation Agreement for the construction of the Emirates-Indonesia Cardiology Hospital in Solo Techno Park, Surakarta City, Central Java. The hospital will be constructed with 100 beds and specialize in heart/cardiovascular health. It is expected to be completed on October 2024.
In Indonesia, a country with a population exceeding 270 million, national health surveys indicate that over 25% of the general populace has hypertension, approximately 30% have elevated cholesterol levels and are overweight, 7% have diabetes, 65% of men engage in smoking, and 23% do not meet recommended levels of physical activity. Furthermore, Indonesia is experiencing a rising prevalence of congenital heart disease, increasing from 0.5 percent in 2013 to 1.5% in 2018, with an annual average of 651,481 deaths attributed to cardiovascular diseases, making it the highest expense in the health sector.
Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, highlighted the pressing need for expanded access to cardiovascular services, pointing out that out of the 514 regencies/cities in Indonesia, only 44 cities (10%) currently have hospitals with cathlab facilities. This realization underscores the limited accessibility to critical medical interventions for heart-related emergencies across the nation. The hospital’s construction is poised to contribute significantly to Indonesia’s healthcare infrastructure, not only by providing advanced medical services but also by addressing the disparity in healthcare resources across different regions.
(Source: Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Ministry of Health)
