Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Health Ministry is partnering with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) to ensure that some 300–500 hospital-based specialist education programs meet international standards.

President Prabowo Subianto has called for the establishment of 500 such programs.

While the target is ambitious, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin here on Wednesday affirmed his commitment, citing the collaboration with ACGME as a key step.

To meet national demand, access to specialist education is being expanded, with a goal of producing 10,000 specialists annually—eventually increasing to 20,000, Sadikin said.

“This year, I expect programs for seven core specializations, plus neurology and cardiology, to be launched. The number of institutions has grown from six to 26, including 20 new education centers,” he explained.

With ACGME’s support, institutions will adopt global standards across recruitment, education quality, and learning processes.

Sadikin emphasized that the programs will be free from bullying, extortion, and discrimination.

Regional governments and institutions—including West Kalimantan, East Java, Muhammadiyah, and the Defense Ministry—have pledged support for the initiative.

“I’m especially pleased if regional hospitals outside Java, starting with those under the Health Ministry, can host programs for seven core and two specialist fields. This would allow local priorities to be addressed more quickly,” he added.

The ministry also plans financial reforms to ensure doctors receive stipends during training, rather than paying out of pocket.

At the same event, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs Pratikno described the shortage and uneven distribution of specialists as a national emergency.

“Half of our doctors are in Java. Sixty-one percent of all doctors and 62 percent of specialists are concentrated there, even though Indonesians live across the archipelago,” he said.

Given the urgency, Pratikno stressed the need for extraordinary measures, including both university-based and hospital-based education pathways.

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