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THE INDONESIA’S government continues to intensify efforts to develop health tourism or medical tourism. One of the stepping stones in the development of the national medical tourism industry is the Indonesia Health Tourism Board (IHTB).
The IHTB, whose formation was the subject of the coordination meeting for the establishment of the Indonesia Health Tourism Board, was chaired by the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan virtually on Wednesday (9/15).
“The main purpose of establishing IHTB is to protect and develop health tourism in Indonesia. IHTB is also expected to minimize public distrust in medical institutions in Indonesia, and increase added value for the national economy,” said Minister Luhut.
Luhut continued, Indonesian public awareness of health issues showed a positive trend, indicated by spending in the health sector which reached US$337 per capita in 2018, as well as an increase in Foreign Direct Investment in the health sector, with the highest investment coming from Singapore, Australia and China.
“This indicates that the Indonesian health sector has promising investment opportunities in the future,” Luhut stated.
Meanwhile, Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin, who was also present virtually, explained that the Ministry of Health, the coordinator of the regulatory simplification working group, is currently simplifying regulations related to organizing medical tourism,” explained Minister Budi.
This regulation, among others, issued Perkonsil No. 97 of 2021 concerning the Adaptation of Specialist Doctors for Indonesian Citizens Graduates from Overseas, Revision of the Minister of Health Regulation No. 67 of 2013 concerning the Utilization of Foreign Health Workers, Government Regulation (PP) No. 47 of 2021 concerning the Implementation of the Hospital Sector, and PP No. 5 of 2021 concerning the Implementation of Risk-Based Business Licensing.
Likewise, the Deputy for Tourism Products and Event Organizers of Tourism Ministry, Rizki Handayani Mustafa, who was present on behalf of the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Uno said in the last two years, the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy has intensively discussed health tourism with the Ministry of Health.
“The development of Indonesian health tourism is divided into four major scopes, namely medical tourism based on superior services, fitness and herbal tourism based on SPA, traditional and herbal health services, health sports tourism based on sporting events, and scientific tourism based on Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, Exhibition (MICE),” Rizki remarked.
She concluded that each of these scopes is contained in the National Action Plan for 2021-2024 and will be the main focus in each year. In addition, medical tourism also strives to provide health facilities at affordable prices and of the best quality for tourists. [traveltext.id/photo special]
