In sickness and in health: diagnosing Indonesia

Despite significant improvements in many health outcomes over the past 60 years, many chronic problems in Indonesia’s health system including financial sustainability, governance and inequities in accessing health care have long been apparent, even before the COVID-19 pandemic. The epidemiological transition associated with demographic and socioeconomic change in recent decades makes Indonesia one of many countries that still struggle to address the issues of communicable, maternal and nutritional diseases while facing an increasing burden of non-communicable diseases. The 38th Indonesia Update conference was held in September 2021 to discuss these issues.

The papers presented at the conference was recently published as an edited book entitled In sickness and in health: diagnosing Indonesia. Edited by Firman Witoelar (ANU Indonesia Project) and Ariane Utomo (The University of Melbourne), the book comprises 12 chapters by 26 authors that investigate challenges and opportunities facing the Indonesian health system and assess hurdles Indonesians face in their quest for a longer and better quality of life. Topics covered in this book include politics shaping recent health policy reforms in Indonesia, barriers to the supply of specialist doctors and quality medicines, availability of accurate health and population data, and the financial toll of the COVID-19 pandemic. Accessing essential health services for mothers and children and for those living with disability, discrimination and mental illness, as well as an innovative trial to control dengue, are also examined.

This book is part of the Indonesia Update series published by ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute since 1994. Download the table of contents and Chapter 1 free. Purchase from ISEAS (print and e-books) and and its distributors (Periplus in Indonesia; print only). Note that e-books will need to be downloaded as an Adobe Digital Editions file (not pdf).