By: Gavin Asadit)*
The Indonesian government continues to expand equitable access to healthcare services across the archipelago through the village pharmacy program, which is integrated into the Merah Putih village/urban cooperatives. This initiative is part of a broader government strategy to strengthen primary healthcare services while empowering local village economies.
Through Presidential Instruction No. 9 of 2025, President Prabowo Subianto directed the establishment of Merah Putih village/urban cooperatives with seven mandatory business units, one of which is village clinics and pharmacies. This measure aligns with the National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN), which emphasizes the strengthening of community-based primary healthcare systems.
This year, the government—through the Ministry of Health—has allocated IDR 700 billion to accelerate the development and enhancement of village clinic and pharmacy facilities. The target is to establish and operate around 700 new units by 2025. In addition to building new facilities, the government is also committed to renovating more than 5,830 existing village healthcare facilities that are damaged or underperforming. This initiative includes integrating over 54,000 village health facilities—such as village health posts (Poskesdes) and auxiliary health centers (Pustu)—into the Merah Putih village cooperatives, aiming to create a more efficient and coordinated healthcare system.
The significance of village pharmacies goes beyond bringing medicine closer to rural communities. It also supports the Ministry of Health’s strategic programs, such as controlling infectious diseases like HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria. Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated that village pharmacies will serve as legal, monitored, and affordable drug distribution centers. Each village clinic will be staffed with at least two healthcare workers and two health cadres, and additional pharmaceutical personnel will be assigned to ensure proper drug distribution and education in accordance with service standards.
The government also emphasizes the importance of a business approach in operating village pharmacies. In this context, pharmacies will be managed by cooperatives and are expected to become financially sustainable business units. Village pharmacies will not only provide prescription and over-the-counter medications but also offer basic health products, vitamins, simple medical devices, and pharmaceutical consultation services. This is expected to generate new economic opportunities for villages and become a source of cooperative income that can be reinvested in social services.
This program has received support from various stakeholders, including professional organizations such as the Indonesian Pharmacists Association (IAI). They believe the program aligns with the national Primary Service Integration (ILP) strategy, which prioritizes community-based healthcare. In several regions, such as West Java and South Sulawesi, local governments have already expressed readiness to implement the village pharmacy model. Some villages even began construction and human resource training at the start of 2025. Furthermore, the Village Pharmacy program, initiated by President Prabowo, is seen as a means to deliver affordable healthcare services down to the village level.
Chairman of the Central Executive Board of the Indonesian Pharmacists Association (PP IAI), Noffendri Roestam, stated that the Village Pharmacy Program—as mandated in Presidential Instruction No. 9 of 2025—represents a brilliant idea for delivering affordable healthcare services to villages.
The implementation of the village pharmacy program is also part of a broader community-based healthcare reform. The government highlights the importance of health screening, public education, basic vaccinations, and enhancing the capacity of cooperatives to perform administrative and managerial functions effectively. With services that are closer and more affordable, rural residents are expected to no longer need to travel long distances to sub-district-level health facilities just to access medication or basic services.
The government acknowledges several challenges in implementing the program and continues to take proactive steps to address them. These challenges include a shortage of pharmaceutical personnel in many rural areas and the limited number of cooperatives capable of managing healthcare-related administrative and managerial tasks. The government is also working to strengthen the drug supply chain to be more reliable and sustainable, including interagency coordination on regulations, oversight, and service reporting.
The government is also considering input from public health experts to refine the program’s implementation. Digital systems are seen as urgently needed to link village pharmacies with community health centers (puskesmas), health departments, and pharmaceutical distribution centers—making services more efficient and transparent. Additionally, the active involvement of village communities as both users and managers of these facilities is viewed as key to long-term success.
Overall, the village pharmacy development initiative represents a concrete step by the government toward realizing equitable healthcare and rural economic self-sufficiency. With adequate budget allocation, cross-ministerial support, and synergy between the health and cooperative sectors, village pharmacies have the potential to become an inclusive and sustainable healthcare service model. With consistency and strong oversight, this program is expected to become a pillar of Indonesia’s national healthcare transformation.
*) The author is a Social and Community Affairs Observer.
