Jakarta– The Indonesian Ministry of Health is holding a Health Innovation Festival (Health Innovation Festival/HAI-Fest) in commemoration of the 60th National Health Day (HKN). This event, which will take place from 7 to 9 November 2024 in Jakarta Convention Center, followed by various national pharmaceutical and medical device industries. Carrying the theme "Leveraging Local Resources: From Nature Nurture The Future“, HAI-Fest aims to build sustainability in innovation for national health resilience.
Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated that the festival was held to support the transformation of health system resilience, especially in the third pillar, which is the independence of the domestic health industry. He added that the government is committed to supporting domestic production in the pharmaceutical and medical device sectors so that Indonesia is ready to face the possibility of a future pandemic.
The Minister of Health said that Indonesia's bad experience in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic was a turning point for Indonesia to strengthen the domestic health system which turned out to be very fragile.
"The COVID-19 pandemic is a lesson for us to strengthen the fragile national health system," said Health Minister Budi. At that time, Indonesia was not able to meet domestic needs plus travel restrictions and lockdown at that time it caused supply medical devices are very limited. As a result, Indonesia has difficulty obtaining medicines, vaccines and ventilators. Learning from this situation, the government is determined to build a safe health system that can survive if there is another pandemic," said the Minister of Health. That is why we will encourage the development of the pharmaceutical industry, medical device industry and health service industry to be produced domestically.
Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Pratikno, also expressed appreciation for this initiative. According to him, cross-sector synergy, including academics and industry, needs to be continuously developed. "I ask the Minister of Health to focus the budget to support domestic products," said Pratikno.
The three-day festival is filled with various activities, including innovation exhibitions, international conferences, business matching, talk shows, health seminars, and free health checks. In addition, HAI-Fest also gives awards to local innovators in the pharmaceutical and medical device sectors as an effort to encourage the work of the nation's children in this industry.
HAI-Fest is implemented through a series of activities, namely:
a. Health Innovation and Technology Exhibition which displays innovations resulting from domestic research and products in the form of pharmaceutical preparations (drugs, drug ingredients, traditional medicines, and cosmetics) and medical devices.
b. Indonesia – COMSTECH International Conference and Exhibition of Natural Products Based Cosmetics and Nutraceuticals involving OIC member countriesOrganization of Islamic Cooperation).
c. One on One Business Matching between the manufacturing industry and the raw materials industry with hospitals and health services as a means to increase the use of domestic health products, and open up opportunities for cooperation and investment in the domestic industry.
d. Talkshows/Seminars by hospitals, industries, and program managers at the Ministry of Health as a health education medium for the public.
e. Awarding of the National Work Award to inventors, industry and start-up company in the field of pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
f. Free health checks such as eye examinations, bone density examinations, blood sugar examinations, early detection of non-communicable diseases, cardiovascular examinations using NIVA, and early detection of cervical cancer and breast cancer. The public can also donate blood and have acupuncture therapy in this activity.
In addition, the 60th HAI Fest HKN event was also filled with children's coloring competitions, entertainment by national artists, games, Happy Hour (gymnastics and zumba), and door prizes, all of which were free for the public.
This event was attended by various stakeholders from government agencies such as Commission IX of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Heads of Provincial, Regency/City Health Services, health organizations, and the Indonesian Health Council as well as international representatives including Ambassadors of Friendly Countries, representatives of countries Organization of Islamic Cooperation.
The Ministry of Health hopes that with this event, Indonesia will be more ready to build a strong and independent health system for the future. (Author Fachrudin Ali/Edit Timker HDI)
