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AKARTA: To improve health services in remote areas, the Health Ministry is considering to implement a flying doctors program.

Supriyantoro, director general of the medical services at the ministry, said that the ministry would prioritize Maluku and Papua for the program because both regions were difficult to access.

“There are two options for this program,” he said. “First, we buy the plane and then let an airline run its operation. Second, we rent planes only for emergency cases, which is more cost efficient, but we cannot modify its interior design.”

However, he added, the ministry was lacking in budget as one plane could cost around Rp 50 billion (US$5.6 million).

Beside the flying doctor program, the ministry will also set up community health centers, mobile hospitals and add more medical students on study assignments to remote areas.

The ministry targets by 2014 to have 96 community health centers in the outer islands, 18 mobile hospitals and 7,020 health workers with incentives. — JP