Indonesia Crisis Specialist Doctors, Government Accelerates Fulfillment Through Scholarships

The speakers were "Accelerated Fulfillment and Distribution of Specialist Doctors in Indonesia: Strategy, Synergy, and Solutions" held by Ika Medica (Alumni of the Faculty of Medicine, Diponegoro University, Semarang), in Semarang, Saturday (27/9/2025). (Photo: ANTARA)

SEMARANG - Indonesia is experiencing a significant shortage of specialist doctors. In this regard, the Ministry of Health continues to accelerate the fulfillment of the shortage of specialist doctors in Indonesia through various programs, including scholarships for specialist doctor education.

"Every year we only (produce specialist doctors, ed.) 2,700. How many population do we have? 280,000 million," said the Ministry of Health's Director General of Human Resources (HRK) dr. Yuli Farianti, M.Epid, in Semarang, as reported by ANTARA, Saturday, September 27.

This was conveyed during a discussion themed "Accelerated Fulfillment and Distribution of Specialist Doctors in Indonesia: Strategy, Synergy, and Solutions" held by Ika Medica (Alumni of the Faculty of Medicine, Diponegoro University, Semarang).

Based on calculations, from the ratio of population, disease epidemiology, to the type of disease, he said, Indonesia still lacks at least 70,000 specialist doctors.

He admitted that there was the largest shortage of specialist doctors in the Eastern region, such as Maluku, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), to Papua.

For this reason, he said the government had prepared various efforts, namely preparing scholarships, both from the Education Fund Management Institution (LPDP) and ministries and institutions.

After that, he said, the medical education efforts with two models, namely university-based ones carried out in university circles, still require educational hospitals as places of practice and main organizers.

Then, based on the hospital carried out in the hospital which has been designated as the Education Hospital as the Main Organizer (RSPPU).

"The third is with a special assignment. The fourth is for doctors who are already specialists and have their capacity increased. We also provide for 'fellowship'," he said.

Yuli said the Ministry of Health has now opened around 300 scholarships for subspecialist medical education, such as intervention cardiology and neurointervention, both at home and abroad.

Chairman of Ika Medica Dr. dr. Cahyono Hadi Sp.Og, Subsp. FER said that his party supports the government's efforts to meet the shortage of specialist doctors to improve the quality of public health services.

"That the problems of degenerative diseases in Indonesia are very high, so we need a lot of specialist doctors and doctors. So that we support the government's program in accelerating the government of specialist doctors," he said.

One of them is through organizing the national seminar to solve problems by bringing together various relevant stakeholders and doctors.

"We encourage the acceptance of more specialist doctors. It is also possible to increase the number of shipments from 3T areas. So, how to facilitate the acceptance of specialist doctors so that there can also be a lot of production. If then there is a lot of 'outcome'," he said.

The seminar is also a series of Ika Medica National Conferences, one of which is for the election of Chair Ika Medica for the 2025-2030 period and the signing of cooperation agreements with various parties.