Indonesia's ACT to boost healthcare access, quality: Minister

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin said the Advanced Clinical Training (ACT) initiative, promoted by his ministry and the Indonesian Health Council (KKI), aims to expand healthcare access while improving quality, patient safety, and affordability.

“Access must come first, and then we gradually improve the quality. The ultimate goal is to ensure all Indonesians can receive healthcare that is easily accessible, high quality, and affordable,” he said in a statement in Jakarta on Saturday.

He underscored that breakthroughs are needed to expand the availability of healthcare workers with skills tailored to public needs, noting that limited access to healthcare is a challenge faced not only by Indonesia, but also by several developed nations.

"In fact, in some countries, people have to wait months for certain medical procedures," he said.

During the 2nd National Forum of the Indonesian Health Council 2026 in Jakarta on Friday (October 30), nine cooperation agreements were signed to implement ACT, aimed at broadening skill-building opportunities for medical personnel and non-specialist healthcare workers.

The nine ACT agreements cover six nursing fields, along with nurse anesthesia, family medicine and primary care, vascular medicine, and dentistry.

Sadikin commended the KKI and the participating colleges for developing skill-enhancement schemes through knowledge-sharing among healthcare workers.

Additionally, he urged that healthcare workers willing to share their knowledge and expertise receive recognition.

"Knowledge-sharing is essential so that more healthcare workers can deliver services to the public, especially in regions facing shortages of healthcare personnel with certain competencies,” the minister remarked.

Meanwhile, KKI Chairperson Arianti Anaya explained that over the past two years, the KKI, together with the council, colleges, and the Professional Discipline Board (MDP), has laid key foundations to strengthen professionalism among medical and healthcare personnel.

Among these achievements is expanding professional technical training from around 13,000 to over 17,000 medical and healthcare workers. The KKI has also established 24 fellowship programs and developed the Competency Test Information System for Healthcare Workers.

Through this system, 76 colleges have administered national competency tests to 159,414 participants.

"ACT was developed to address competency gaps that are not yet fully covered in formal education standards, particularly alongside technological advancements and evolving healthcare demands," she said.

Unlike fellowships that are designed for specialists seeking subspecialist qualifications, ACT is tailored for non-specialist medical personnel and healthcare workers to acquire additional clinical competencies through a structured and standardized process.

“ACT training will take place in hospitals and healthcare facilities through partnerships with colleges, and may also involve educational partners,” Anaya said.

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Translator: Mecca Yumna, Raka Adji
Editor: Primayanti
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