Indonesia eyes stronger cooperation with Bangladesh in healthcare sector

Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Bangladesh Listyowati has encouraged stronger cooperation between healthcare institutions and hospitals of Bangladesh and Indonesia, including through capacity building, exchange of expertise, experiences and best practices in healthcare services, exchange of delegation visits and training for healthcare professionals.

The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Dhaka supported and facilitated the participation of four leading Indonesian hospitals at the International Health Tourism and Services Expo held in Dhaka from 7-9 May.

To maximise the visit, the Indonesian Embassy facilitated various meetings and visits with health sector partners in Bangladesh, as well as organised a business gathering and networking session to promote Indonesia's health tourism sector.

The series of activities formed part of Indonesia's economic diplomacy efforts in the health sector by showcasing the quality of Indonesia's healthcare services and promoting Indonesia as one of the region's leading healthcare destinations, while at the same time strengthening bilateral cooperation in the health sector between Indonesia and Bangladesh, particularly as both countries already have a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on health cooperation.

The Indonesian delegation participating in the event consisted of representatives from Dr Cipto Mangunkusumo National Referral Hospital (RSCM), Harapan Kita National Cardiovascular Center, Dharmais National Cancer Hospital and Siloam Hospitals Group.

The Indonesian Ambassador emphasised that the event was not only about introducing the quality of Indonesia's healthcare services, but also about building bridges and strengthening partnerships between the two countries.

"The momentum of this visit can be utilized to encourage stronger cooperation between healthcare institutions and hospitals of both countries, including through capacity building, exchange of expertise, experiences and best practices in healthcare services, exchange of delegation visits, and training for healthcare professionals," she said.

The Ambassador said this activity also serves as a platform to expand cooperation networks and open concrete collaboration opportunities in medical services, health tourism, and healthcare human resource development.

The Indonesian Ambassador, together with representatives of Indonesian hospitals, also conducted a courtesy meeting with the Secretary of the Health Services Division, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of Bangladesh, to discuss potential avenues for strengthening bilateral health cooperation, including the implementation of concrete programs that could provide direct benefits to the people of Indonesia and Bangladesh.

The Embassy also facilitated various strategic agendas and institutional visits by the Indonesian hospital delegation to several leading healthcare facilities in Bangladesh, including United Hospital, the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Bangladesh Specialized Hospital, and the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital.

Efforts to promote Indonesia's medical tourism sector were also marked by the signing of a cooperation agreement between Siloam Hospitals Group and GD Assist Bangladesh on 8 May.

The collaboration is expected to encourage the people of Bangladesh, with a population of more than 170 million, to consider Indonesia as a healthcare destination in the region, said the Embassy today (10 May).

Overall, the series of activities and visits by the Indonesian delegation to Dhaka were carried out smoothly and productively, marked by a number of commitments for future cooperation in various health sectors to be followed up by both parties, in efforts to enhance mutually beneficial health sector cooperation.