Antara News·Indonesia·Wednesday, November 11, 2026 at 10:29 AM UTC

Indonesia targets AMR control programs in 80 pct of hospitals by 2029

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Mecca Yumna, Raka Adji

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government aims to have 80 percent of hospitals implement antimicrobial resistance (AMR) control programs by 2029, as the issue remains a pressing challenge requiring an integrated, cross-sectoral response.

In a statement received on Wednesday, Deputy Health Minister Dante Saksono Harbuwono said AMR directly caused more than 1.14 million deaths worldwide in 2021 and was associated with another 4.71 million deaths.

Beyond these figures, he stressed that AMR poses a serious threat to various groups, including newborns with sepsis, postpartum mothers, farmers, and older adults.

"To tackle this challenge, Indonesia has outlined its commitment to controlling AMR through the 2025–2029 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) and the 2025–2029 National Strategy for AMR Control in the Health Sector," Harbuwono said.

He explained that AMR does not emerge through sudden, large-scale outbreaks but develops gradually across multiple sectors, including hospitals, livestock, agriculture, water sources, and communities.

He noted that the use and indications of antibiotics are regulated by the Food and Drug Authority (BPOM), while the Health Ministry has established National Clinical Practice Guidelines (PNPK) for antibiotic use in clinical settings.

"When we conduct an accreditation process, we map the pathogens present in each hospital. Since making this mandatory in hospital accreditation, we can now ensure hospitals consistently use antibiotics appropriately," Harbuwono said.

To support these efforts, the government has also set a target for 60 percent of public hospitals to comply with standards for empirical systemic antibiotic prescribing.

Harbuwono expressed hope that the Asia-Pacific Regional AMR Conference, co-hosted by the Health Ministry and ReAct Asia Pacific on November 9–10, 2026, would provide an important opportunity to translate policy commitments into concrete action.

Meanwhile, ReAct Asia Pacific Director Dr. S.S. Lal said the biggest challenge in controlling AMR currently lies in implementation at the grassroots level.

He pointed to a persistent gap between commitments made in declarations and their implementation, including the alignment of action plans with budgets and the enforcement of guidelines on antibiotic prescribing in communities.

Attended by around 90 delegates from 28 countries, the conference focused on seven key topics.

Discussions covered accelerating the implementation of the 2024 UN Political Declaration, ensuring access to essential antibiotics, and applying the One Health approach, which promotes collaboration across human, animal, and environmental health sectors.

The forum also addressed antimicrobial stewardship, which promotes the responsible and prudent use of antimicrobial medicines.

The outcomes of the discussions will be compiled in a Multi-Stakeholder Recommendations Brief, which will serve as a joint evaluation document ahead of the 2029 UN meeting.

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