Jokowi: I Am The Saddest When I Hear That Our Citizens Are Sick, They Go Abroad

President Jokowi in the inauguration of the Regional General Hospital (RSUD) dr. Soedarso, Pontianak, West Kalimantan/screenshot of the Presidential Secretariat Youtube

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo does not want Indonesians who have serious illnesses to go abroad for medical treatment.

This was conveyed by Jokowi during the inauguration of dr. Soedarso Regional General Hospital (RSUD), Pontianak, West Kalimantan.

Jokowi gave an example, before dr. Soedarso Hospital operates, and many residents, especially those living in West Kalimantan, have gone to Kuching City, Malaysia for treatment.

"I am most sad when I hear that there are citizens of our country who are sick and then go abroad, to Malaysia, to Singapore, some to Japan, some to America. Especially for West Kalimantan, I heard that a lot of people went to Kuching", Jokowi said on the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube show, Tuesday, August 9.

What is unfortunate is that Jokowi, when his citizens go abroad for treatment, the impact is that it creates capital outflows, either directly or indirectly.

"How much is our capital outflow, the money that goes out to finance the sick and go abroad? More than 110 trillion rupiahs every year", said Jokowi.

Therefore, when the Governor of West Kalimantan, Sutarmidji, asked the central government to provide medical equipment assistance to support services in his province, Jokowi immediately ordered his staff to build a hospital with complete facilities.

dr. Soedarso Hospital was built with a budget of IDR 205 billion, consisting of an emergency room, inpatient care, and an infectious hospital. Thus, Jokowi hopes that no residents of West Kalimantan will seek treatment abroad.

"I checked earlier, there were 277 beds, checked the operating room, checked the ICU room, and everything I saw was super modern. So, I remind you, we don't have to go out (of the country). Here we are ready and enough to handle cases exists", he said.