Badung, Bali (ANTARA) – Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin is prioritizing early detection and screening to curb high mortality rates caused by unmanaged heart disease.
The initiative comes as official data reveals that approximately 260,000 people in Indonesia die from heart attacks each year.
“Starting last year, we rolled out mandatory screening for 280 million Indonesians, including newborns, and have reached 70 million so far,” he said in Badung District, Bali, on Friday, referring to the government’s nationwide Free Health Screening (CKG) program.
He delivered the remarks during the 67th Annual World Congress of the International College of Angiology (ICA) 2026, held in conjunction with the 6th Indonesian Vascular Annual Scientific Congress (IndoVASC).
“This year, our target is early detection for 136 million people. Hopefully, by 2029, 280 million Indonesians will have their clinical data screened annually,” Budi said, adding that the effort aims to prevent patients from seeking treatment at advanced stages.
Alongside early detection, the Health Ministry’s secondary priority is expanding access to Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI), commonly known as heart stenting.
Budi noted that the high fatality rate from heart disease largely stems from a acute shortage of PCI services across Indonesia.
When he first took office, only 43 of the country’s 514 districts and cities could perform the procedure.
However, 151 districts and cities are now equipped to offer PCI services.
The ministry aims to expand coverage to 200 locations this year and achieve nationwide access by the end of 2027, the minister added.
He urged the public to actively participate in early screenings, noting that these government efforts aim to raise the national average life expectancy from 72 to 76 years.
IndoVASC organizing committee head Iwan Dakota added that the global congress—attended by 600 international experts—will bolster scientific collaboration while enhancing the skills of Indonesian healthcare workers in managing cardiovascular diseases.
In Indonesia, coronary heart disease remains the most prevalent cardiovascular condition and the leading cause of death.
It is followed by heart valve disease, which is frequently triggered by rheumatic heart disease resulting from untreated childhood throat infections.
Dakota estimated that coronary heart disease accounts for more than 50 percent of all heart disease cases in the country, while heart valve disease comprises about 20 to 30 percent.
The remaining cases stem primarily from hypertension and congenital heart defects.
He emphasized that the most effective way to combat these figures is raising public awareness through routine screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes at primary healthcare centers before conditions escalate.
Translator: Ni Putu Putri, Raka Adji
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
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