High Surgery Costs Leave Thousands of Indonesian Children Untreated for Heart Defects
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- About 50,000 Indonesian children live with congenital heart disease, yet only 10% receive adequate treatment. High costs and limited BPJS coverage remain major barriers.
- Deputy Health Minister Dante Saksono highlights ongoing challenges in treating pediatric heart conditions and calls for stronger funding and international partnerships.
- The Health Ministry is pushing for greater BPJS Kesehatan support as rising treatment costs and long surgery queues continue to hinder children’s access to heart care.
Deputy Health Minister Dante Saksono Harbuwono has revealed that congenital heart disease among Indonesian children remains one of the country’s most pressing health concerns. Out of 50,000 diagnosed cases of congenital heart defects, only about 5,000 have received treatment.
“In Indonesia, the incidence of congenital heart disease is around eight in every 1,000 births. Imagine that. From all the detected cases—about 50,000 children—only 5,000 have been treated or managed,” Dante told reporters during his visit to Harapan Kita Hospital in West Jakarta on Friday (Feb. 7, 2026).
He explained that several issues hinder optimal treatment, including long waiting lists for surgery and high medical costs. Dante noted that a single heart surgery can cost up to Rp100 million (around US$6,300), while the national health insurance agency, BPJS Kesehatan, covers only about Rp30 million per case.
“The cost of heart surgery varies depending on the severity of the condition, but on average, it’s around Rp100 million. BPJS only covers about Rp30 million, and the rest is often subsidized by hospitals,” Dante said.
To address this gap, the Health Ministry is working with multiple partners, including the Indonesian Heart Foundation (Yayasan Jantung Indonesia) and various social organizations. Dante also mentioned recent collaboration initiatives with Saudi Arabia to expand access to treatment and medical support.
He added that the ministry continues to push for negotiations and advocacy efforts to increase BPJS coverage for catastrophic diseases such as congenital heart conditions. However, Dante acknowledged the need for balanced resource allocation to ensure comprehensive healthcare across different sectors.
“We will continue to review and regulate mechanisms so that BPJS can provide greater support. Allocations must be made to ensure coverage for major and costly treatments. The healthcare ‘pie’ must be distributed wisely,” he concluded.
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