Riau Province initiates medical tourism ecosystem to reduce overseas treatment

The Riau Provincial Government is developing a medical tourism ecosystem to increase public confidence in local healthcare services and reduce the number of residents seeking medical treatment abroad. During a seminar for the 62nd National Health Day, Regional Secretary Syahrial Abdi outlined a strategy to transform the region into a medical tourism destination.

Data from the 2023 Indonesian Health Survey indicates that Riau is among the top five provinces where households seek medical care abroad. Approximately 93.5 percent of those surveyed cited inadequate local health facilities as a reason, with 65.7 percent specifically utilizing services for medical check-ups.

To address this, the provincial government has prepared four strategic steps: mapping the service capacity of each hospital, strengthening patient safety standards, integrating medical services with transportation and hospitality, and evaluating patient satisfaction. Riau currently operates 81 hospitals, including 67 general and 14 specialized facilities. The government aims to leverage these assets through collaboration between public and private sectors to create a specialized network of medical excellence.