Jakarta. Indonesia will begin disbursing monthly incentives of Rp 30 million (roughly $1,800) to doctors working in remote regions, in a bid to reduce healthcare disparities and attract specialist talent to underserved areas.

The program will initially target 1,100 specialist and sub-specialist doctors employed at regional government-owned health facilities.

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said the incentive disbursement would be formally launched this month by President Prabowo Subianto.  “This is the President’s initiative, and he will announce it himself,” Budi told reporters after meeting with Prabowo at the State Palace on Tuesday evening. “The regulation has been issued, and disbursement will begin this month.”

Why This Incentive Matters

Healthcare equity has long been a challenge in Indonesia, a vast archipelagic nation where thousands of islands lack access to adequate medical services. Many rural and remote areas struggle to retain or attract qualified medical specialists, creating a stark gap in health outcomes between urban centers and the periphery.

“This is not just financial support, it’s a form of appreciation,” said State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi. “Doctors in these areas often work in difficult conditions. This policy acknowledges their dedication.”

The Rp 30 million monthly allowance --more than double the average civil servant salary and roughly equivalent to the monthly wage of senior specialists in urban private hospitals-- is expected to significantly boost morale and recruitment for placements in rural regions.

The incentive program is part of a broader presidential push to upgrade Indonesia’s healthcare infrastructure. President Prabowo has made it a key goal to ensure that each of the country’s 514 regencies and cities has at least one fully equipped hospital.

“President Prabowo wants all hospitals in 514 cities and regencies to be fully functional and well-resourced,” Budi said. “But a hospital is more than just buildings and equipment, it needs people, especially doctors.”

To that end, the government is accelerating hospital development in remote areas. Of the 32 planned new hospitals in remote and underserved regions, 22 have already broken ground, with the remaining 10 set to begin construction in the second half of 2025. New facilities are being built in locations including Reda Bolo and Borong in East Nusa Tenggara, Konawe and Buton in Southeast Sulawesi, and Anambas and Taliabu islands.

“People are genuinely excited about these developments,” Budi said. “They’ve waited a long time for decent healthcare access.”

President Prabowo is expected to inaugurate three major hospitals in the coming weeks, located in Jayapura, Jakarta, and Solo, as symbols of the administration’s healthcare ambitions.