"Hence, we will further intensify communication with village heads regarding this program," Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin noted in a statement issued in Jakarta on Thursday.
Sadikin emphasized that the presence of health services at the village level is expected to strengthen community resilience and represent a strategic step toward building healthy, self-sufficient, and competitive villages.
Currently, the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with strategic partners, is accelerating the development of village pharmacy infrastructure at 103 pilot Kopdes Merah Putih locations across Indonesia.
The minister noted that preparations for the operational readiness of these village pharmacies are in the final stages at all 103 sites.
In addition, the Ministry of Defense has contributed through a drug initiative to support basic health services at the village level," he remarked.
According to Budi, medication distributed through village pharmacies included 11,537,180 paracetamol tablets, 4,716,981 mefenamic acid caplets, and 1,200,000 cefadroxil capsules.
These medications, comprising antipyretics, anti-inflammatories, and antibiotics, are part of the efforts to ensure equitable access to basic pharmaceutical services in rural areas.
Through collaboration between the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Defense, the pharmaceutical industry, and village cooperatives, the government aims to reduce disparities in healthcare access while strengthening the service system, even in the most remote regions.
The integration of village pharmacies and clinics into the Kopdes is a direct implementation of Presidential Instruction Number 9 of 2025 concerning the Acceleration of the Establishment of the Red and White Cooperative as a pillar of food and health self-sufficiency.
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Translator: Yoanita Hastryka Djohan
Editor: Primayanti
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