This issue is important not only because of the overarching impact of the health problems, but also due to the fact that many individuals have remained undiagnosed.

Globally, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) such as ischemic heart disease (IHD) and stroke, as well as diabetes mellitus, are significant contributors to deaths and disability. They pose a substantial burden, particularly in low- and middle-income countries like Indonesia.

The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study showed that IHD and stroke were the top two leading causes of death worldwide in 2021, accounting for approximately 8.8 million and 7.1 million deaths, respectively. Meanwhile, diabetes was responsible for about 1.6 million deaths globally in 2021.

In Indonesia, the GBD study also found that stroke and IHD were the top two leading causes of death in 2021, followed closely by diabetes. IHD claimed approximately 245,000 lives, while stroke was responsible for around 331,000 deaths in 2019. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) estimated that diabetes accounted for 236,711 deaths in Indonesia in 2021.

The heavy burden of these conditions is evident in the national health insurance (BPJS) claims. In 2023, claims for IHD surged to 20 million cases, costing Rp 17.6 trillion (US$1.1 billion), a 50 percent increase from the figure in 2022. Stroke cases also showed a significant impact, with 3.46 million claims costing Rp 5.2 trillion in 2023. 

The GBD study further identifies hypertension and high blood glucose as major risk factors contributing to deaths and disability across the country. The latest National Health Survey (SKI) data reveal that about 60 million adults (30.8 percent) aged 18 and over had hypertension, and about 22 million (11.7 percent) had diabetes in 2023.