Medical emergencies or accidents are always difficult to deal with when you are in a foreign country, especially if it is a risk-prone one like Indonesia. If you are an expatriate in Indonesia or thinking of moving there, here are some tips on what to do in the event of a problem.
Indonesia is undergoing multiple transitions, be they political, economic, or social. One such聽transition concerns the medical system, which has undergone a lot of changes since the fall of聽the authoritarian regime that ruled the country until 1989. Nowadays, the Indonesian health聽system is highly modernized, but it is not yet at the level of neighboring countries known for their聽excellent medical services, such as Malaysia.
Moreover, there are real disparities between regions, with rural areas being significantly less聽well served than large urban centers, in terms of medical and hospital facilities. Therefore, if you聽have an accident or an emergency and are in an urban area, you should have no trouble getting聽help (ambulance, fire department, police), whereas in remote areas you could find yourself in聽bitter trouble.
Medical emergencies in Indonesia
The universal number for emergencies in Indonesia is 112. In case of problem, an operator will聽dispatch help, whether it is an ambulance, the police, or the fire department. However, as far as聽ambulance services are concerned, be aware that they are not readily available everywhere in聽Indonesia. The countryside and remote rural areas are generally not or minimally underserved聽by ambulances, due to the often impassable roads and difficult access to the most remote聽areas.
Some villages have health clinics that can provide basic care and first aid, but this is not the聽case everywhere. If you are traveling far from urban areas, be sure to find out what medical聽services are available in the area before your trip, as this could save your life in case of a聽serious problem. A chopper can also be sent to your rescue, but this can prove to be extremely聽expensive if your insurance does not cover this service. Locals are generally helpful and聽understanding and will even offer to transport injured or sick people to the nearest medical聽facility, depending on the severity of the situation.
Health insurance in Indonesia
A health and accident insurance is vital for any foreigner residing in Indonesia, and is one of the聽conditions attached to obtaining a visa for Indonesia. Think of taking out an insurance policy that聽covers the use of a rescue helicopter just in case you should run into a problem far from聽civilization.
Prior to 1997, there was no proper social security regime in Indonesia. This problem has been聽made a priority by the current government, which is seeking to provide medical coverage for the聽entire population. There has been some progress in this area recently and as a result, if you聽work in Indonesia, you should be automatically covered by healthcare insurance.
Nevertheless, many expatriates prefer to take out international medical insurance as well, which聽usually offers better coverage than local insurers. It is quite possible to be covered by both, but聽if you cannot afford to purchase both medical insurance policies at the same time, it is best to聽choose the international one.
Hospitals and clinics in Indonesia
There are many private medical facilities in Indonesia. Most of them were established to聽compensate for the shortcomings of the public health system. Most expatriates, and well-off聽Indonesians, would rather go to a private clinic than to a public hospital. Private medical聽institutions offer excellent services compared to the public system but are often very expensive.聽That is why it is a good idea to have an excellent medical insurance coverage.
Road accidents in Indonesia
Traffic in Indonesia is often heavy, especially in and around the major cities. Moreover, drivers聽often do not follow traffic regulations. In 2020, there were more than 100,000 road accidents in聽Indonesia, resulting in approximately 23,000 deaths. The government has launched many聽measures to reduce these alarming statistics but driving in Indonesia today is still quite risky.
In the event of a collision with an Indonesian driver, keep calm and do not panic. If someone has聽been injured, the first thing to do is to call emergency services. They will dispatch an ambulance聽and the police. The latter, on the other hand, may take some time to reach you, depending on聽the time of day, location, and traffic density. In any case, be aware that locals can be hostile if聽you are in the wrong. If you feel that the situation may get out of hand, go immediately to the聽nearest police station.
Always report your accident to the police, even if you have an amicable agreement or if it is only
a minor fender-bender.
Health risks in Indonesia
Several health risks exist for those who travel to Indonesia. The Indonesian archipelago is聽largely covered by a dense and impenetrable jungle, where dangers are ever-present with聽tigers, venomous snakes, great apes, insects, bacteria, and viruses of all kinds. However, of all聽creatures in Indonesia, the mosquito whose reproduction is favored by the Indonesian tropical聽climate, is the most dangerous. It is the vector of many viruses such as dengue, malaria, zika or聽chikungunya.
On some Indonesian islands, such as Bali, chimpanzees are very accustomed to humans, and聽many tourists enjoy feeding them. However, one should always bear in mind that they are still聽wild animals that can often bite and cause accidents. Be aware that wounds inflicted by聽monkeys can cause infections and diseases such as rabies and that it is always best to avoid聽getting close to them.
Indonesia is home to over 450 species of snakes. Of those found in and around Jakarta, only 5聽are poisonous. However, high caution is advised, as some of these are among the deadliest聽snakes in the world, such as the king cobra or the blue krait. Thankfully, all Indonesian clinics聽and health centers have anti-venom and venom cups.
Tigers are becoming increasingly rare in the Indonesian jungles, but it is still possible to聽encounter them, especially on the island of Sumatra. The tiger species that populates Indonesia聽is called the Sumatran tiger, even though it can live on other islands as well. The Indonesian聽jungles are also home to populations of baby elephants. Their mothers can be aggressive if they聽are pregnant or if they have a calf with them. Due to the shrinking of their habitat as a result of聽rapid urbanization, there are more interactions between elephants and humans than ever聽before. This can sometimes lead to dangerous situations, some even fatal.
Some Indonesian islands are home to the Komodo dragon. Although it may appear harmless at聽first glance, it can be very aggressive and turn into an extremely dangerous animal whose聽highly toxic bite can cause flesh decomposition. There are many reports of Komodo dragons聽attacking humans, even entering village huts to capture babies or small children. In some cases,聽they do not hesitate to attack adults.
Indonesia's ocean is not without its dangers. While surfers often face massive waves, which聽break on coral reefs at water's edge, the deep sea is home to fearsome predators such as聽sharks and sea crocodiles. Moreover, some species of jellyfish, such as the sea wasp, are聽highly toxic and can turn out to be sometimes deadly.
Due to its tropical climate, even the smallest injury can become a source of infection in聽Indonesia. Bacterial infections, including various types of staphylococci, are common. Food聽poisoning is also frequent. You should make sure to boil tap water before drinking it or else buy聽bottled water. Also beware of street food; it is best to make sure that the restaurant where you聽eat has a minimum of hygiene before ordering.
Regarding the COVID-19 outbreak in Indonesia, it appears to be more or less under control at聽this time. In case of infection, you will be quarantined in a health center, hospital or hotel,聽depending on the severity of the disease. Note that as of May 2022, a little less than 160,000聽people have died from the coronavirus in Indonesia since the start of the pandemic.
Lastly, there is a real risk of acts of terrorism in Indonesia, especially in the period leading up to聽and during certain religious holidays such as Ramadan. Attacks often target not only large聽crowds, religious and public buildings, but also places that are popular amongst foreigners, such聽as bars and nightclubs. Many people still remember with horror the Bali bombings, which killed聽202 people in 2002.
Another potential danger in Indonesia is the roads. In addition to the poorly maintained rural聽roads, many Indonesian drivers are often reckless. In the event of an accident, it is best to go聽directly to the police to make a report, even if you have been slightly injured.
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