$350 Million ADB Loan to Boost Indonesia’s Health Transformation Program

MANILA  — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a $350 million loan to support the Indonesian Ministry of Health (MOH) in implementing a nationwide primary care transformation that will increase access to quality, gender, and climate-responsive primary care services.

The Supporting Essential Health Actions and Transformation (SEHAT) Program results-based loan is designed to strengthen, integrate, and standardize the life-cycle primary care delivery model in puskesmas (primary public health center) and posyandu (integrated service posts) across Indonesia.

SEHAT will be supported by a $2 million technical assistance grant from the Japan Fund for Prosperous and Resilient Asia and the Pacific.

“ADB is pleased to partner with the Government of Indonesia in transforming its primary health care program for a healthier, stronger, and more resilient society,” said ADB Country Director for Indonesia Jiro Tominaga. “This program is fully aligned with the government’s midterm national development plan and supports the implementation of Indonesia’s post-pandemic Health System Transformation Agenda, which is critical to strengthening the country’s health system and responding to future pandemics and climate change.”

The SEHAT program will improve community and household primary care services by helping equip primary care providers with ultrasound machines and instruments to monitor the presence of stunting and malnutrition. In addition, the program will strengthen and standardize the tier-1 public health laboratories in puskesmas, and improve the capacity of primary care and public health laboratory staff. This includes training of primary health facility and community health workers to provide reproductive health services, and early detection and treatment of gender-based violence.

The program also promotes the integration of health information systems in primary care facilities with the MOH’s SatuSehat or the digital health platform and supports the Sustainable Development Goals attainment, particularly Goal 3 (good health and well-being), and Goal 5 (gender equality).

ADB is committed to achieving a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific while sustaining its efforts to eradicate extreme poverty. Established in 1966, it is owned by 68 members—49 from the region.