Indonesia’s CKG Program Seen as Key Data Source for BGSI Precision Medicine Drive
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- Health Minister Budi says CKG’s blood tests could feed massive health and genomics data into BGSI to accelerate precision medicine in Indonesia.
- The ministry plans to scale genome sequencing capacity and use AI to assess disease risk, while keeping genomic data stored domestically for security.
- The government aims to build a population genomics database, targeting 400,000 records by 2030, while Bappenas says more precise therapy can reduce wasteful health spending.
Indonesia’s Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin says the Free Health Check program (Cek Kesehatan Gratis/CKG) could significantly enrich the national genomics database under the Biomedical and Genome Science Initiative (BGSI), supporting the development of precision medicine in Indonesia.
“CKG gives us an opportunity to draw blood,” Budi said in Jakarta on Thursday. “We can see what diseases people have, and then analyze what their genetics look like. That way we can identify, ‘Oh, these are the most common diseases in the Indonesian population,’ so we can provide the right treatment.”
With the program’s massive reach, he said, there is potential to feed around 100 million data points into the precision-medicine pipeline. However, he noted that the effort will require stronger capacity for genome sequencing as well as sufficient reagents.
“Maybe right now we’re still at around 15,000 a year,” he said. “We want to raise it to 50,000 a year, and 100,000 a year, because the machines are also getting more advanced.”
He added that with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, researchers can study a person’s disease risks based on DNA, helping people manage their health earlier and more effectively.
Humans have roughly 3 billion DNA base pairs, he said. When someone becomes ill, certain parts of that genetic sequence may change or mutate.
“So we need to understand how those changes happen,” he said. “That’s why we need data from many people—both healthy and sick, across many types of diseases—so we can collect it, compare it, and learn from it.”
Budi also underscored the importance of protecting public health to help Indonesia achieve its long-term “Golden Indonesia” vision, saying BGSI-enabled technology can support personalized screening results and follow-up actions tailored to each individual.
He argued that more precise treatment leads to better outcomes for each patient. As an example, he said coughing can have multiple causes, and genomics-backed analysis could help identify the specific type and trigger—so doctors can prescribe the most suitable medicine without trial and error.
Previously, he said, genomic data was often processed or stored overseas. Under new regulations, the data must now be stored at the Health Ministry’s data center to strengthen security and reduce the risk of leaks.
The ministry is currently building a population database to store and process the information. It is targeting 400,000 data entries by 2030.
At the same event, Deputy Minister of National Development Planning (Bappenas) Febrian Alphyanto Ruddyard said genome sequencing could help curb health spending by ensuring patients receive more accurate therapies.
“If the therapy is right, waste can be avoided,” Febri said. “If waste can be avoided, then finances will become more stable and sustainable going forward.”
He added that innovation is essential, especially as healthcare costs continue to rise over time.
Indonesianpost.com | Antara
