Government Gets AI Technology To Accelerate Cancer Diagnosis In Indonesia

Government, Perthera, and Pathgen Diagnostic Technology collaborate to transfer artificial intelligence (AI) technology in order to facilitate cancer diagnosis (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The development of artificial intelligence (AI) technology now plays an important role in the health sector, especially in fighting cancer.

Through its high analytic capabilities and continued improved accuracy, AI has become an important supporting tool to accelerate diagnosis, determine the most effective therapy, and improve the quality of treatment for cancer patients.

Responding to the high number of cancer cases in Indonesia, the government cooperates with two strategic parties "Perthera and Pathgen Diagnostic Technology to encourage AI-based technology transfer. The main goal is to strengthen early detection and increase the effectiveness of handling cancer in the country.

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin emphasized the urgency of this step. He stated that if not anticipated, the number of cancer cases is estimated to increase by more than 70 percent in 2050. Currently alone, there are around 400 thousand new cases every year, with more than half of which lead to deaths.

"Now technology is growing rapidly. With more accurate early detection capabilities, the public needs to be more aware of the importance of inspection from the start. This is not only a matter of treatment, but also education," Budi said in Jakarta, Tuesday, as quoted by ANTARA.

AI technology, according to the CEO of Pathgen Diagnostic Technology, Dr. Susanti, can increase the chances of living cancer patients by 2.5 times. In addition, this approach is able to significantly reduce the cost of treatment because the therapy given is more targeted.

"With an AI-based system, we can reduce the cost burden by 30 percent because there are no more errors in drug selection. Hopefully, this technology can be used widely in Indonesia, so that all patients, including BPJS participants, get the same access to early detection and proper treatment," he explained.

Dr. Susanti also emphasized her commitment to ensure that there are no more cancer patients in Indonesia who are struggling without access to proper treatment and hope of recovery.

Director General of Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices, Lucia Rizka Andalusia, added that this technology works by collecting and analyzing data from various medical sources. AI will help accelerate the diagnosis process without replacing the role of a doctor, and will provide treatment recommendations based on patterns and stages of disease.

In cancer cases, there are usually many stages from diagnosis to therapy. AI can accelerate decision making from a long process, becoming more efficient and precise," he said.

Rizka also emphasized that this technology will begin to be implemented in various regions in Indonesia, including for patients covered by the BPJS Health program, in order to equalize national financing and services in the oncology sector.