Indonesia

In emergencies call 112 to obtain help.


Healthcare and medical care

Indonesian hospitals are not of a European standard. Large towns and tourist resorts have hospitals of a reasonably high standard. In Jakarta and Bali one of the best options is the international SOS Medika klinik. In remote areas it can be difficult to obtain medical care, and the standard of treatment is poor. Slow transport connections make it difficult to access treatment. In the event of a serious illness, attempts will be made to transfer the patient to Singapore, for example, for follow-up treatment.

When travelling to Indonesia, you should take out comprehensive travel insurance. It may be necessary to resort to airlifting the patient in cases of illness, which is very expensive. Repatriation in the case of illness, too, is expensive and difficult to arrange without private travel insurance. In some cases, hospitals have refused to treat uninsured patients.

Medication

Indonesia has a number of different pharmacies (Apotek), but the standard varies considerably. Some of the pharmacies are part of larger chains and their range of products is usually good. It is a good idea to ascertain the availability of special medicines in advance. Make sure you have the necessary vaccinations and medication in good time before you travel.

In large towns, there are pharmacies located, for example, in shops or shopping centres. The opening hours of these are the same as for the shops, approximately 10 am to 9 pm. There are often pharmacies in hospitals too.

Please note that doctors in Indonesia may prescribe more medicine for treating an illness than their colleagues in Finland would. Unnecessary medicine may be prescribed even for minor discomfort. If you receive a large amount of medicines or you suspect that medication might not be required for your ailment, you should maintain a critical attitude towards the medication. If necessary, also get a second opinion.

When you bring medicines into or out of Indonesia, note that there might be restrictions on importing certain medicines. You should take with you a medical prescription in English of any prescription medicines subject to authorisation.