Getting Better, Thanks: Investing in Indonesian Health Care
Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Panjaitan told the closing session of AmCham Indonesia’s three-day virtual Health Care Mission he was being very aggressive globally in pursuing foreign investment in pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and even hospitals and he called on American companies to act quickly otherwise they were in danger of being left behind.
The Zoom mission, “Healing Signs: Investment Opportunities in Indonesian Health Care,” heard a bullish message from regulators and practitioners over nine sessions June 8-10. The Mission was held in conjunction with the US Chamber of Commerce as part of the Initiative Indonesia program to attract foreign investment and ease regulatory burdens.
The mission drew about 25 leading US companies and was the perfect opportunity for investors to virtually meet with key Indonesian officials, doctors, start-ups, hospitals, and regulatory experts to assess the investment environment for pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and health care providers.
“The environment in the health sector is more open than previously and it is evolving rapidly,” said AmCham Managing Director A Lin Neumann. “This mission was a chance to bring companies up to date on both regulations and the situation with Covid-19.”
Deputy Minister of Health Dante Saksono Harbuwono spoke on pandemic mitigation efforts and how foreign direct investment (FDI) can boost Indonesia’s healthcare system, particularly through infrastructure and manufacturing.
Ali Ghufron, President Director of the Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS), looked at the future direction of health insurance after the pandemic and how foreign insurance companies could boost health care here.
Two eminent epidemiologists, Dr Pandu Riono, and Prof Amin Soebandrio, Head of The Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, gave an update and critique on how Indonesia was dealing with the pandemic and what still needed to be done.
Local content regulations, particularly for foreign pharmaceutical companies, was a strong theme, as were innovations in telemedicine and the need for more transparent regulatory control.
A common question asked several times through the presentations was would foreign doctors be allowed to practice in Indonesia as part of foreign investment programs, and both Dante and Luhut emphasized the need for knowledge transfer and the training of Indonesian medical professionals by foreign professionals.
Others highlighted existing partnerships between Indonesian and foreign hospitals that see local doctors receiving training abroad.
Daily Covid-19 Cases Approaching 9,000
Indonesia saw 8,892 new Covid-19 cases yesterday, June 10, a sharp rise on 7,725 the previous day, and the highest figure for three months. The continuing spike in new cases is attributed to people ignoring the mudik homecoming ban and activities during the Idul Fitri celebrations. The highest number of new cases in a day was on January 30 at 14,518.
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Vaccination Centers Listed for Jakarta Residents aged 18 and above
In line with the extension of the vaccination eligibility, those aged 18 and above in Jakarta can now receive the Covid-19 vaccine at designated vaccination centers. Vaccination is currently only available to individuals who have an ID card and live or work in Jakarta. Head of the Disease Prevention and Control Division, Jakarta Office, Dwi Oktavia, said vaccination for the 18 age group has been available since June 6, and that all one needs to do is to go to a vaccination center and register in accordance with the center’s requirements.
For the full list of available vaccination centers, please refer to the link below:
Wisma Atlet Nudges Past 60% Covid Bed Occupancy
The number of Covid-19 patients in Wisma Atlet Emergency Hospital in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, has increased steadily since the Idul Fitri holiday, from only 900 patients on May 18 to 3,626 on June 10. The bed occupancy rate has reached 60.4 percent of the hospital’s maximum capacity of 5,994 beds. Wisma Atlet health worker coordinator Lt Col Laut M Arifin says the rise in cases is due to activities and movement during the Lebaran holiday.
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AmCham Cares: Mars
On World Oceans Day, June 8, Mars Incorporated announced the adoption of UN Sustainable Development Goal 14, Life Below Water, as part of the Business Avengers program. Business Avengers is an ongoing initiative which brings together some of the largest and most influential global corporations – including Google, Salesforce, and Diageo – to drive awareness of the UN goals.
In supporting the Business Avengers initiative, Mars has committed to using its reach and influence to increase awareness and action toward SDG No. 14 and encouraging its peers to do the same. These commitments include sustainable fish sourcing, working toward a circular economy, reducing its carbon footprint, and restoring and regenerating threatened ocean ecosystems.
Since 2019, Mars’ SHEBA® brand has been part of the world's largest coral restoration program, marked by the word HOPE, off the island of Bontosua in the Spermonde Archipelago, South Sulawesi, a biodiversity hot spot in the coral triangle. Hope Reef is Mars’ latest effort in restoring coral reefs.
In just two years, coral cover has increased from 5 percent to 55 percent, fish abundance has risen, and the recovered reefs have seen the return of species such as sharks and turtles. Hope SHEBA® has committed to a 10-year investment in coral reef restoration, which also includes other sites around the world.
Visit shebahopegrows.com and buildingcoral.com to learn more about the initiative.
Retail Sales Continue to Gain Momentum
Indonesia recorded a strong retail sales performance in April, according to Bank Indonesia’s latest Retail Sales Survey. The Real Sales Index (RSI) accelerated to 17.3 percent month-on-month and 15.6 percent year-on-year, from 6.1 percent and -14.6 percent, respectively, in March. The main drivers of sales in April were clothing, food and beverages, tobacco, and automotive fuel.
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Indonesia Joins USTDA’s Global Procurement Initiative
Indonesia has officially joined the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA)’s Global Procurement Initiative, with a memorandum of understanding signed between USTDA and the National Public Procurement Agency (LKPP). This partnership is intended to support Indonesia’s efforts to ensure fair, transparent procurements and increased international competition for its public tenders.
Under the partnership Indonesia’s public procurement officials will receive training led by the USTDA, in coordination with the George Washington University Law School’s Government Procurement Law Program and US procurement experts. The training will deepen Indonesia’s workforce professionalization and use of fair, transparent value-based procurement methodology. Priority subjects will include public-private partnerships and sector-specific procurement related to energy, and information and communications technology.
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Support Independent Journalism: Subscribe to The Jakarta Post
In these difficult times, our hometown English language newspaper, The Jakarta Post, is more important than ever. Given the difficulties of physical circulation and the economic slump, the Post needs to boost its online subscribers – a goal we heartily support at AmCham Indonesia. Quality English language news is vital for our businesses, our home offices, and the flow of information out of Indonesia. It is for this reason, that we are urging all of our members and readers to subscribe to JP! Information is what will help get us through this crisis. Below is information about how to sign up.
JP Premium Digital Subscription Packages
https://www.thejakartapost.com/packages
Monthly subscription – Rp 50,000
Yearly subscription – Rp 600,000
Now is the Time to Join AmCham!
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We offer a full slate of meetings, events, and information for our community online. But we can only do this through the support of our members. If you are not yet an AmCham member, please join now.
AmCham Indonesia is open to all companies with an interest in US business relations and we have many non-American members. We are a community and we welcome you!
Reach us at [email protected] or click below!
AmCham Office and Events
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The AmCham Office is on the work-from-home status and all face-to-face meetings and events have been postponed. We are having a number of meetings online using the Zoom platform. You will be notified of virtual meetings as they are scheduled.
What is Your Company Doing on COVID-19?
Please let us know what measures your company may be taking in the form of donations and other assistance to help Indonesia during this time of confusion and concern. Contact [email protected] with your news. We would like to publicize the ways that our AmCham companies are pitching in.
Stay well
We urge you to send us press releases and other information that we can pass on to the broader AmCham community. If you have items of interest, please email material to [email protected]. Follow this link to information provided by the US Embassy
Stay safe, call a doctor if you have a high fever, cough, or difficulty breathing. Stay healthy above all else.
AmCham Update is AmCham's regular newsletter on developments related to the pandemic crisis and other issues in Indonesia. It is edited by AmCham Managing Director A Lin Neumann and written by the AmCham Staff. Paul L Goddard is the Managing Editor
