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Why Do You Enjoy Going Overseas for Treatment?

The large number of Indonesian citizens seeking treatment abroad has resulted in Indonesia losing around US$11.5 billion in foreign exchange, or the equivalent of Rp.170 trillion per year. Are our health services still not of high quality? In terms of medical treatment, our upper middle class includes those who like go abroad for treatment. It's not just medical treatment to cure serious illnesses, such as cancer, but also for medical check-ups or check-ups, many Indonesian citizens are keen to go abroad. Of course this only applies to those who are financially able because the costs are definitely more expensive than in their own country. This is what makes President Joko Widodo confused and concerned. A few months ago, the President complained about approximately 2 million Indonesian citizens seeking medical treatment overseas every year. Around 1 million people go to Malaysia, approximately 750,000 go to Singapore, and the rest to Japan, America, Germany, and other countries.

Mengapa Senang Berobat ke Luar Negeri?

Besarnya WNI yang berobat ke luar negeri ini mengakibatkan Indonesia kehilangan devisa sekitar 11,5 miliar dollar AS atau setara Rp 170 triliun per tahun. Apakah layanan kesehatan kita masih belum berkualitas? Untuk urusan berobat, kelas menengah ke atas kita termasuk yang suka berobat ke luar negeri. Bukan hanya berobat untuk menyembuhkan penyakit berat, seperti kanker, bahkan untuk sekadar pemeriksaan kesehatan atau check up saja banyak WNI yang getol ke luar negeri. Tentu saja ini hanya berlaku untuk kalangan yang mampu secara finansial sebab biayanya pasti lebih mahal dibandingkan dengan di negeri sendiri. Inilah yang membuat Presiden Joko Widodo heran dan prihatin. Beberapa bulan lalu Presiden mengeluhkan ada sekitar 2 juta warga Indonesia yang berobat ke luar negeri setiap tahun. Sekitar 1 juta orang ke Malaysia, sekitar 750.000 ke Singapura, serta sisanya ke Jepang, Amerika, Jerman, dan negara lain.

Sugar and the Threat for Health

Kompas has reported its series of investigations showing that the current national consumption of sugar is so excessive that it is considered dangerous. As a result, the number of diabetics has increased, and the cost of treatment has also increased. Data from BPJS Kesehatan, wrote Kompas, shows that over the last five years (2018-2022), the total cost of claims for patients participating in BPJS Kesehatan who are diagnosed with diabetes has continued to increase. In 2018, diabetes patients needed a total cost of IDR 4.9 trillion from BPJS funding, and in 2022 this figure will increase to IDR 6.4 trillion. Wihout realizing it, excessive sugar consumption, which has become a long-standing habit, poses a hidden danger. Day by day, our society consumes increasingly higher amounts of sugar while simultaneously engaging in less physical activity. This excessive calorie intake, particularly from sugar, combined with a lack of physical exercise, contributes to obesity and various inherited diseases like diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and heart disease.

Gula dan Ancaman Kesehatan Nasional

Indonesia peringkat ke-5 negara dengan populasi penderita diabetes terbesar di dunia. Harus ada strategi untuk mengurangi konsumsi gula pada berbagai masakan dan minuman, baik yang diolah sendiri maupun produk industri.   Belum lama ini, Kompas menurunkan serial laporan investigasi yang menunjukkan betapa konsumsi gula nasional sudah membahayakan karena sangat berlebihan. Akibatnya, jumlah penderita diabetes meningkat, biaya perawatan dan pengobatannya juga ikut melonjak. Merujuk data BPJS Kesehatan, Kompas menulis, selama lima tahun terakhir (2018-2022), total biaya klaim pasien peserta BPJS Kesehatan yang terdiagnosis diabetes terus meningkat. Pada 2018, pasien diabetes menyerap total biaya Rp 4,9 triliun dari kas BPJS dan pada 2022 angkanya meningkat menjadi Rp 6,4 triliun.

Digitalization. A Transformation in Health System

"Digitizing the health system is an effort to accelerate equity and reduce disparities in health services. However, digitalization needs to be accompanied by a reliable internet connection, digital literacy, and personal data security." After proposing the idea of BPJS for affluent individuals at the end of last year, The Health Minister of Indonesia, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, has recently made a surprising move. Since March 1, 2023, the popular PeduliLindungi application used during the Covid-19 pandemic is now integrated into the Satu Sehat platform as of March 1, 2023. This integration was previously prepared by the Ministry of Health. The integration of these two applications is intended to enhance Indonesia's health resilience among millennials. The Satu Sehat platform links different applications relevant to healthcare, including government and private hospitals, health centers, posyandu, laboratories, clinics, and pharmacies.