Swedish Minister of Health Acko Ankarberg Johansson, accompanied by Indonesian Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin, officially visited Dharmais Cancer Hospital (RS Kanker Dharmais) in Jakarta.

The visit highlighted efforts to strengthen international collaboration in cancer care between Indonesia and Sweden.

Dr. Soeko Werdi Nindito, President Director of Dharmais Cancer Hospital, expressed his appreciation for the visit.

“Alhamdulillah, Dharmais Cancer Hospital today welcomed an esteemed guest, the Swedish Minister of Health, along with the Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia. This visit marks a collaborative initiative between the Swedish and Indonesian governments, one implementation of which is the partnership with Dharmais Cancer Hospital,” he said.

Strengthening Indonesia–Sweden Bilateral Health Ties

The visit represented a significant step in bilateral cooperation, focusing on advancing oncology services.

The Swedish delegation included more than 30 individuals from medical technology companies, academics from the Karolinska Institute, and healthcare providers.

Their presence supports ongoing efforts to transform Indonesia’s health system.

Advanced Swedish Medical Technology in Focus

A key topic was the potential use of advanced Swedish medical devices to enhance cancer care across Indonesian hospitals.

Dr. Soeko stated, “Hopefully, Indonesia will also have access to advanced medical equipment like those overseas, not only at Dharmais but also at other hospitals, especially regional general hospitals and vertical hospitals across the nation”.

Transforming Cancer Services Across Indonesian Hospitals

Dr. Soeko highlighted the challenges posed by Indonesia’s large population compared to Sweden’s smaller population of about 10 million.

“They were highly impressed by the volume of patients here. We hope for technology that can streamline patient care and, of course, we will collaborate further in the interest of patient well-being,” he explained.

Site Visit Highlights Urgency and Opportunity for Innovation

During the visit, the delegation was split into three groups to tour Dharmais National Cancer Center facilities, including operating rooms, the Central Sterile Services Department (CSSD), oncology clinics, and chemotherapy units.

Dr. Soeko shared, “We gave them a brief hospital tour to observe cytotoxic handling and the crowded conditions at the oncology outpatient clinics, both surgical and chemotherapy. They were very impressed with the conditions in Indonesia and expressed a strong desire to support further development.”

PHOTO: KEMENKES

This article was created with AI assistance.