Groundbreaking For Bali International Hospital, Jokowi Hopes This Hospital In Collaboration With The US Will Make People No Longer Seek Treatment Abroad

President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo. (Photo: Doc. Ministry of SOEs

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) laid the first stone or groundbreaking for the Bali International Hospital (RS) located in the Sanur Tourism Area, Denpasar City, Bali Province, today Monday, December 27. With the existence of the hospital, Jokowi hopes that people will no longer seek treatment abroad.

"Alhamdulillah, this morning we will start the construction of the Bali International Hospital which will work together with the Mayo Clinic from America. We hope that Sanur will become a health SEZ and we hope that there will be no more, if this happens, there will be no more people." we, our people, go abroad to get health services," he said, broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube account, Monday, December 27.

Based on the data he received, Jokowi said that every year approximately 2 million Indonesians go abroad to get health services. The destination countries include Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, the United States, and other places.

"We lost IDR 97 trillion because of that," he said.

Therefore, Jokowi appreciates the plan to build the Bali International Hospital which was initiated by the Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Erick Thohir and his staff. Furthermore, Jokowi also hopes that Bali will become a health tourism destination which will increase the number of tourist visits to the island of Bali.

"I really appreciate, appreciate and we hope that in the middle of 2023 this hospital will be completed and can be operational," he said.

In addition, Jokowi also wants medicines, medicinal raw materials, and medical devices to no longer be imported from abroad.

"We have to stop importing these goods again and we do, we produce it ourselves in our country," he said.

Meanwhile, SOE Minister Erick Thohir in his report said that this international hospital has two functions. In addition to helping Bali to have new tourism and health tourism, this hospital is also expected to be able to support health services for investors whose workers or professionals are in Indonesia.

"Because this investment means that they also want to ensure that their health is guaranteed, international health standards for their workers or professionals in Indonesia. That's why it's very important that we build this health platform in Bali, Mr.," said Erick.

Also accompanying the President in the event were the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Minister of SOEs Erick Thohir, Minister of Trade Muhammad Lutfi, and Minister of Investment/Head of BKPM Bahlil Lahadalia.

Also present were Deputy Minister of Health Dante Saksono Harbuwono, Deputy Minister of BUMN I Kartika Wirjoatmodjo, Deputy Minister of BUMN II Pahala Mansury, Governor of Bali I Wayan Koster, and Mayor of Denpasar I Gusti Ngurah Jaya.