Jakarta – The government continues to demonstrate its commitment to strengthening health services at the village level through the Village Pharmacy establishment program. During a visit to Cangkuang Wetan Village, Bandung, Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan together with the Director General of Pharmacy and Medical Devices of the Ministry of Health, L. Rizka Andalucia, directly reviewed the readiness of village clinics and pharmacies as part of the government’s strategic policy.
President Prabowo Subianto has issued Presidential Instruction (Inpres) Number 9 of 2025 concerning the Acceleration of the Establishment of Red and White Village/Sub-district Cooperatives. In the Inpres, one of the village cooperative business units includes the provision of health services in the form of village clinics and pharmacies.
“There are already 30 thousand Poskesdes that can be integrated with the Red and White Village Cooperative. Plus 20 thousand Pustu, a total of around 50 thousand villages are ready to have health services,” said Zulkifli Hasan.
The Ministry of Health stated that village clinics will provide life cycle-based services such as screening, vaccination, health education, limited treatment and rapid laboratory tests.
Meanwhile, village pharmacies will provide pharmaceutical services including the provision of program drugs such as HIV, TB, and malaria, as well as prescription drug services, over-the-counter drugs, herbal medicines, health supplements, and basic health equipment.
The General Chairperson of the Central Board of the Indonesian Pharmacists Association (IAI), apt. Noffendri Roestam, considered the President’s move as a brilliant idea.
“In the Presidential Instruction, it is stated that village pharmacies will be spread across 80 thousand villages and sub-districts. This is a big step to bring health services closer,” he said.
However, Noffendri emphasized the importance of good management so that the program does not stagnate.
“Our job at IAI is to ensure the readiness of pharmacists so that this program runs according to its objectives,” he added.
Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, according to Noffendri, has offered a smart approach. “No need for new regulations. Let’s just optimize the 54 thousand existing health facilities,” he said.
The Head of Hisfarkesmas PP IAI, apt. Maria Ulfah, also welcomed the plan to add pharmacists.
“This is a breath of fresh air. Of the 10,300 health centers, only 68 percent have pharmacists. The rest are still filled by vocational pharmacy personnel,” he said.
Maria emphasized the importance of pharmacists as those responsible for village pharmacies to be able to meet service standards, including in budget management and procurement of drugs based on the latest e-catalog.
