Jakarta, Indonesia, October 2020 – The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) has approved to provide millions of dollars of financing for a new health project in Indonesia titled; “Strengthening of National Referral Hospitals and Vertical Technical Units”. The approval came during an IsDB Board of Executive Directors meeting held on 19 September 2020.

As per the approval, the IsDB will finance US $262 million of the US $293 million project which aims to improve the availability, accessibility, quality, and delivery of health services through upgrading six National Referral Hospitals and Vertical Technical Units spread in five provinces in Indonesia.

Mr. Salah Jelassi, Regional Head of the IsDB Group Regional Hub Indonesia said, “The project is the result of a three-year close collaboration between IsDB, and Indonesia’s Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of National Development Planning (BAPPENAS). Once completed, the project will increase the country’s total hospital bed capacity by nearly 1000, and result in provision of over 230,000 m² of new building space that will improve the treatment and laboratory facilities in hospitals, while also enhancing their emergency preparedness capabilities.”

This project aims to support Indonesia’s efforts to achieve SDG#3: “Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all age groups”. Access to health services is not only a human right, but better hospitals, better trained healthcare staff, state-of-the-art medical equipment and modern treatment methods are integral factors that contribute to sustainable economic and social development. The project is expected to help Indonesian people have better and faster access to healthcare services in Infant and Maternal Care, Cancer, and Respiratory treatments. Furthermore, the current COVID-19 pandemic has proved that a well-established, properly functioning health care system is direly needed not only to combat health emergencies, but also to better keep the economy and social life on-track. 

The interventions will mainly revolve around providing the necessary infrastructure, equipment and capacity enhancements in the six referral hospitals to enhance the healthcare delivery while contributing to additional critical activities dedicated to improving the emergency response capacity of the healthcare system and more efficient use of information systems in healthcare.

The hospitals included in the project are the “National Cancer Centre”, “Dharmais” and “Persahabatan” hospitals in Jakarta, “Dr. Hasan Sadikin Hospital” in Bandung, “Dr. Sardjito Hospital” in Yogyakarta, “Sanglah Hospital” in Denpasar, and “Dr. Wahidin Sudirohusodo” Hospital in Makassar. Upon completion, the project will contribute to a 25% increase in inpatient and outpatient services in the said hospitals.