Jakarta. President Prabowo Subianto pledged on Wednesday to make medicines more affordable for Indonesians, outlining plans to expand access to low-cost generic drugs as part of a broader push to strengthen the country’s healthcare system.

Prabowo said the government aims to begin providing cheaper generic medicines to the public within the next year.

“We will strive to provide medicines to the people at the lowest possible prices. I hope that within one year we can begin offering affordable generic medicines to the public,” Prabowo said during the inauguration of KH Muhammad Thohir Regional General Hospital in Krui, Pesisir Barat Regency, Lampung.

The initiative forms part of the government’s broader healthcare expansion agenda under Prabowo’s administration, which has prioritized improving access to medical services outside major urban centers.

Indonesia, home to more than 280 million people spread across thousands of islands, has long struggled with unequal healthcare access. The country had just 0.76 doctors per 1,000 residents in 2025, with sharp disparities between urban and remote provinces, while health spending remains below 3% of gross domestic product. Per capita health spending stood at around $140 in 2024, still relatively low compared with regional peers, according to the World Health Organization.

Alongside efforts to lower medicine costs, the government is continuing to expand healthcare infrastructure across the archipelago.

Prabowo said the government built 22 regional public hospitals (RSUDs) in 2025 and plans to construct another 22 facilities in 2026.

The hospital construction program is part of the government’s Quick Best Results Program, or PHTC, which targets the development of 66 regional hospitals nationwide. The newly inaugurated KH Muhammad Thohir Hospital in Lampung is among the projects completed under the initiative.

The government is also targeting the construction, renovation, and modernization of between 350 and 400 hospitals across Indonesia’s regencies over the next three years to improve the quality of regional healthcare services.

In addition to expanding hospital infrastructure, the administration plans to distribute modern medical equipment to regional hospitals across the country.

Prabowo also reiterated the government’s commitment to upgrading 10,000 community health clinics, or puskesmas, to ensure broader access to quality healthcare services at the community level.

According to Prabowo, improving healthcare infrastructure is critical to ensuring patients can receive timely treatment, particularly during medical emergencies in remote areas where travel times to hospitals remain a major challenge.

“I am concerned because I heard there were people who died from bleeding. Women giving birth often need a long time to reach hospitals. This is something we must address. The government will continue improving healthcare services,” Prabowo said.

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