Around 600,000 Indonesians Seek Medical Treatment Abroad

MAKASSAR, Indonesia, April 18 (Bernama) -- An average of 600,000 Indonesians seek medical care overseas annually, according to Health Minister Nafsiah Mboi.

"Therefore, we need to have more hospitals of WHO or international standard to enable us to serve patients in the country," Indonesia's Antara quoted the minister as saying here on Wednesday.

She urged hospitals to improve medical services in accordance with operational standards.

Hospitals must provide safe, friendly and non-discriminative services in order to avoid complaints, she stated.

At present, South Sulawesi Province has 75 hospitals and the ratio of hospital beds to population is 1.7 per 1,000, which is above the criteria of WHO at one per 1,000.

Meanwhile, in the Indonesian health ministry's strategic plan 2010-2014, at least five Indonesian cities to have world-class hospitals.

(source: www.bernama.com.my)