Indonesia Ministry of Health targets 3,000 cataract surgeries per million residents

The Indonesian Ministry of Health has set a target for the Cataract Surgical Rate (CSR) to reach at least 3,000 procedures per one million BPJS Kesehatan participants annually. Deputy Health Minister Dante Saksono Harbuwono stated that addressing vision impairment is a crucial investment in increasing the Health-Adjusted Life Expectancy (HALE).

To achieve this, the government is working with the Indonesian Ophthalmologists Association (PERDAMI) to reduce surgery waiting lists and accelerate the distribution of eye specialists to remote areas. The National Vision Health Roadmap aims to enable one million at-risk individuals to receive early detection at primary healthcare facilities. The government also targets coverage for 80 percent of moderate to severe cataract sufferers, ensuring at least 80 percent of patients achieve good visual recovery post-surgery.

In a separate local initiative, KSH Rembang Hospital partnered with PT Sido Muncul and PERDAMI to provide free cataract surgeries for 50 patients. The event utilized modern phacoemulsification techniques, which use ultrasonic waves to remove cloudy lenses through very small incisions, minimizing scarring.