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FOR THE first time, the 7th IVRA 2024 International Medical Conference was held in Indonesia (RI). IVRA is an international medical conference initiated by medical practitioners in Korea who initiated IVRA as an international medical conference event to bring together experts and researchers in Korea & the international world to focus on the treatment of cancer, both preventive therapy, pain relief and disease therapy by making efforts to share medical information and develop a global medical network.
The aims and objectives of the 7th IVRA are currently being held for the first time in Indonesia after 6 consecutive successful editions in Korea and Malaysia to discuss the use of hyperthermia devices in the cancer therapy process, especially for adjuvant and palliative care.
According to Moses Bagopal, Chairman of IVRA Malaysia at the opening of this event on Sunday (12/01), the 7th IVRA event in Jakarta will this time focus on two segments of doctors, namely specialist oncologists and general practitioners/integrative functional medicine doctors. This event will be held as a one-day conference divided into 2 sessions, namely medical oncology session and integrative cancer care session for general practitioners and integrative functional medicine doctors.
“The implementation of this activity is in cooperation with various parties including POI (Indonesian Oncology Association), FIIM (Functional Integrative Innovative Medicine) PDUI (Indonesian General Practitioners Association) IHTPB Indonesia Health Tourism Promotion Board & AWMI Indonesian Medical Tourism Association,” he said.
He explained that the implementation of the 7th IVRA event, the first in Indonesia, will have an impact on the progress of medical wellness tourism in Indonesia, as well as the establishment of an effective knowledge transfer between oncology experts and integrative functional experts from the international world and Indonesia as a process of improving the quality of healthcare industry services in Indonesia.
“In addition, the meeting between international and Indonesian resource experts will also produce effective cooperation in terms of improving the quality of services, holistic & integrative care service modes offered, and bringing various solutions to various challenges faced in dealing with cancer both globally and in Indonesia in particular,” he added.
It is expected, continued Moses Bagopal, that after attending the 7th International Medical Conference IVRA, the participants will have solid scientific insights & data related to treatment methods with therapy using hyperthermia technology, which has been developing rapidly in the world but does not yet exist in Indonesia.
Meanwhile, Prof. Dr. Laksono Trisnantoro, MSc, PhD, Special Staff of the Indonesian Minister of Health for the Resilience of the Drug and Medical Device Industry, said that the solution to use hyperthermia will be discussed in depth by international and Indonesian experts to share knowledge on the benefits of hyperthermia in treating integrative cancer and how the strategy for developing hyperthermia centers supports integrative cancer care services in Indonesia.
“On this occasion, the 7th IVRA event will also discuss the role of using hyperthermia technology in improving the quality of cancer services for the health world in Indonesia, both for the BPJS segment and the non-BPJS segment,” he noted.
He explained that the medical wellness tourism segment can provide choices for people in Indonesia to be able to do the same services as Korea & other countries just in Indonesia, especially related to cancer therapy, both conventional and integrative cancer care therapy as part of promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative and palliative efforts.
By holding this event, it is also expected to find solutions and strategies for the development of integrative cancer care centers that are needed in Indonesia, considering the number of cases that have increased significantly and the lack of cancer service centers in Indonesia, especially in various provinces in Indonesia, as conveyed by the General Chairperson of POI Indonesian Oncology Association, so there are many delays in treatment.
Likewise, Dr. H. Taufik Jamaan, Sp.OG, Indonesia Medical Tourism Association said as the government’s plan to develop medical tourism in Indonesia such as building international hospitals to bring in specialist doctors from abroad so that the quality and tariffs of Indonesian medical services can be comparable to the countries that did this first.
Another consideration is the fact that the average medical tourism expenditure is US$3,000 to US$10,000 per person. On the other hand, the number of medical tourists worldwide has also been increasing year by year.
“Looking at the above facts, I think the development of medical tourism in Indonesia is very realistic, and I think we need to build a distrust about the experience of treatment abroad in order to foster the confidence of Indonesian medical tourists, and the most important thing for me is through the tourism industry. In this medical field, we can diversify the economy, attract foreign investment, provide employment opportunities, develop the healthcare industry in Indonesia, and keep our healthcare services and foreign exchange from going to wealthier countries,” he affirmed.
He added that currently there are about 2.7 million Indonesians who go abroad for medical tourism, with a total foreign exchange outflow of IDR170 trillion. Well, the potential for medical tourism in Indonesia is quite promising as there is great enthusiasm for the development of health tourism in the country. Medical tourism is currently positioned as a program that is relied upon to revive the tourism sector and creative economy in Indonesia.
“Many steps have been taken to ensure Indonesia’s readiness to support medical tourism, one of which is the initiation of breakthroughs and synergies that will transform the Sanur area of Bali into a new reference for fitness and health tourism in Asia. The area is even expected to become the first special health economic zone in the country,” Dr. Taufik concluded. [traveltext.id]
