The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has stopped distributing free nutritious meals during school breaks and weekends as part of the government’s austerity drive, after the policy drew criticism for encouraging wasteful spending. 

Indonesian haj pilgrims have arrived in Mina to begin the symbolic stoning of the devil ritual, marking the final stage of the annual Islamic pilgrimage as the government intensifies efforts to ensure smooth services amid scorching temperatures and logistical issues.

People with disabilities often lacked adequate accommodation in policymaking forums, including accessible meeting venues and the availability of sign language interpreters, SMERU study finds.

The government is aiming to complete the final phase of recovery efforts in disaster-hit areas of northern Sumatra within the next three years, allocating more than US$5 billion for infrastructure-focused rehabilitation and reconstruction programs.

Education watchdogs are pressing the government to immediately enforce a Constitutional Court ruling mandating free basic education at both public and private schools, a year after the decision was issued with no concrete follow-up from the state.

Indonesian pilgrims kicked off this year’s haj pilgrimage on Monday, as the government intensified measures to ensure the orderly movement, accommodation and safety of more than 200,000 pilgrims during the annual Islamic rite in Saudi Arabia.

Over the past month, Saudi authorities have arrested dozens of Indonesians for various haj-related violations.

Most nonformal teachers are paid far less than the regional minimum wage every month, despite government officials pledging to improve educators' welfare through various programs.

Police have named a taxi driver a suspect in last month’s deadly rail accident in Bekasi, West Java, while transportation investigators have revealed new findings pointing to possible signaling and operational failures that caused the disaster.

Baby formula, a processed food designed to supplement or substitute breast milk under certain conditions, can only be provided based on medical indications and doctors’ recommendations, according to the country’s pediatricians’ association.

The National Police have named 13 suspects for allegedly organizing unauthorized haj trips for this year’s haj season and umrah (minor haj) travels throughout the year, preying on more than 300 potential pilgrims and causing financial losses to victims.

IDAI chairman Dr. Piprim Basarah Yanuarso said children are among the most vulnerable groups affected by climate change due to their still-developing immune systems and limited ability to regulate body temperature.

Indonesia has tightened health screening at airports and other entry points following deadly Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda, as authorities race to prevent imported cases of the highly infectious disease that has killed more than 130 people in Central Africa.

Observing patterns of atmospheric conditions may help health authorities in better preparing mitigation and prevention efforts against the mosquito-borne disease, a recent study suggests, with the insect expected to flourish more in a warming world.

The prosecution of former education minister Nadiem Makarim, an Ivy League graduate who left Indonesia’s first unicorn start-up Gojek, which he cofounded, to serve in government, is fueling unease among young Indonesians overseas who now question whether returning home is worth the risk.

President Prabowo Subianto has pledged to address various problems surrounding his administration’s flagship free nutritious meal program, while defending the multibillion-rupiah initiative as essential for students and farmers nationwide amid mounting concerns over its governance.

The government is mulling a review of its visa waiver scheme after multiple raids exposed hundreds of foreign nationals allegedly abusing the facility to enter Indonesia and run online gambling and scam operations from Jakarta and two other cities.

Under the regulation, non-pharmaceutical retail outlets, such as supermarkets and convenience stores, are only allowed to sell over-the-counter (OTC) medications under the supervision of store employees who are trained and certified in drug storage, packaging and product handling. 

During a livestreamed press briefing on Monday, Health Ministry acting director general for disease control Andi Saguni said health authorities were bolstering their screening of international travelers coming into the country through ships or airplanes for the zoonotic virus.

Misinformation circulating on social media about vaccines causing disease paralysis, behavioral problems, or worse has become an issue as the number of measles cases in Indonesia has soared, becoming the second-highest in the world behind only war-torn Yemen, according to the Indonesian Pediatric Society (IDAI).

The Immigration and Corrections Ministry said it is currently building around 70 kitchens across prisons and detention centers nationwide, with about 36 expected to be operational by the end of the month.

Around 663,000 schoolchildren screened this year in the government’s free health check program were found to have high blood pressure, raising concern over underlying conditions such as kidney damage linked to unhealthy lifestyles and increasing consumption of ultra-processed foods.

Indonesia has detected 23 cases of hantavirus infections since 2024, with recent cases in Jakarta and Yogyakarta were assumed to have no connections with the outbreak on board of a European cruise ship.

Through the citizen lawsuit, the plaintiffs demand the court order the government to push for a more serious and coordinated disaster response in Aceh, North Sumatra and West Sumatra, which suffered damage from cyclone-induced floods and landslides in November 2025.

The Health Ministry has pledged to overhaul Indonesia’s medical internship program to ensure fewer working hours and adequate leave, following the deaths of four intern doctors in just two months amid mounting scrutiny over overwork in the system.

Ministry spokesperson Maria Assegaff said the Indonesian government fully respected and supported Saudi Arabia’s policy of la haj bila tasrih (no haj without an official permit).

The recent death of another intern doctor in Jambi, allegedly linked to overwork, marks the fourth such fatality in just two months and has intensified scrutiny of Indonesia’s medical internship program, with observers calling for urgent reforms to improve working conditions and trainee protection.