Per September 2017 around 70 percent of the Indonesian population participates in the government's universal healthcare program (in Indonesian: Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional or JKN), a program that was implemented by the social security agency Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Sosial Kesehatan (BPJS) in early 2014. This government-subsidized program aims to provide all Indonesian citizens with access to a wide range of health services by 2019.

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Commission I of Indonesia's House of Representatives (DPR) plans to revise Law No. 32/2002 on Broadcasting by adding a full ban on the advertisement of tobacco-related products on television and radio. Indonesia's tobacco industry, a massive industry in Southeast Asia's largest economy, objects to this plan. This ban would also have a big affect on government revenue (excise duties on cigarettes are a key source of government revenue) as well as on revenue generated by media institution because tobacco companies are the fifth-largest advertiser in Indonesia.

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The European Union (EU) is a key export market for Indonesian crude palm oil (CPO) producers. The EU consumed 6.3 million tons of CPO in full-year 2015, 65.2 percent of which (about 4.2 million tons) originated from Indonesia, the world's biggest palm oil producer and exporter. After India, the EU is Indonesia's biggest client in terms of CPO shipments. However, despite the big market for Indonesian CPO in the EU, there are major challenges for Indonesian CPO exporters due to negative (anti-palm oil) campaigns launched in the EU.

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Indonesia's pharmaceutical market will be worth USD $5.8 billion in 2017, up 5-6 percent (y/y) from the preceding year. Growth is attributed to Indonesia's universal health care program (Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional, or JKN) that was launched in 2014. As such, Indonesia's pharmaceutical industry still has great potential, says Parulian Simanjuntak, Executive Director at the International Pharmaceutical Manufacturers' Group (IPMG).

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Foreign pharmaceutical companies have already invested more than USD $1 billion in Indonesia over the past couple of years. These investments involves 34 companies that are all members of the International Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group (IPMG). Parulian Simanjuntak, IPMG Executive Director, informed that these investments have been conducted not only to establish new factories but also for other forms of business expansion as well as marketing. It is estimated that 205 pharmaceutical companies are competing for market share in Indonesia.

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Indonesia's Ministry of Health - in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs - issued a 'travel advisory' for Singapore as the small Southeast Asian nation has been plagued by an outbreak of the Zika virus. By Wednesday (31/08), 82 people were reported to have been infected by the virus in Singapore. By issuing the travel advisory Indonesian authorities discourage citizens from traveling to Singapore, particularly pregnant women are warned. Indonesia is no stranger to mosquito-borne illnesses. The country has to cope with frequent outbreaks of dengue fever and malaria.

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Before the end of 2016 the Indonesian government plans to have imposed a controversial excise on plastic packaging. Earlier this year the government had already suggested a IDR 200 (approx. USD $0.02) excise duty for food and beverage products wrapped in plastic packages. However, with all spotlights focused on Indonesia's tax amnesty program this plastic wrapping excise tax has been off analysts' radar. Lets take a closer look at this excise: what is it and why does the government of Southeast Asia's largest economy want to implement it?

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Indonesian President Joko Widodo signed Presidential Instruction No. 6/2016 on the Acceleration of Development of the Pharmaceutical Industry and Medical Devices on 8 June 2016. Through this instruction Widodo calls on all relevant ministries - including the Health Ministry, Industry Ministry and Finance Ministry - to take efforts to boost development of Indonesia's pharmaceutical industry. The Health Industry has a key task to write an action plan for the development of a self-sufficient pharmaceutical industry and to boost competitiveness.

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For its raw materials the pharmaceutical industry of Indonesia is highly dependent on imports. Around 90 percent of medicines' raw materials, roughly IDR 7 trillion (approx. USD $526 million), may be imported this year. Meanwhile, given the Indonesian government is eager to develop its universal health care program (launched in 2014), demand for pharmaceutical products in Indonesia is expected to rise further. Total clients under the national health insurance program is expected to rise from 162 million in 2015 to 186 million in 2016. By the year 2019 the government wants to provide universal health care to all Indonesians.

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There is a growing mismatch between claims paid and premiums received by Indonesia's Healthcare and Social Security Agency (Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Sosial, or BPJS Kesehatan). This year the deficit could reach IDR 9.8 trillion (approx. USD $731 million), leading to concern about the financial sustainability of the program and the need to search for additional and innovative ways to fund Indonesia's National Health Insurance (Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional, or JKN) program.

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The World Health Organization (WHO) repeatedly emphasizes that hygienic sanitation facilities are crucial for public health. It is estimated that each year around 842,000 people in low and middle-income countries die as a result of inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene. Poor sanitation is believed to be the main cause in some 280,000 of these deaths.

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The Indonesian government launched its universal healthcare program (Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional, or JKN) on 1 January 2014. This government-subsidized program aims to cover all Indonesian citizens - providing them with access to a wide range of health services – by the year 2019.

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Health awareness in Indonesia is at a very low level, especially in the cities, as Indonesians tend to eat too much unhealthy food and exercise too little. Therefore, health awareness is something that needs to be encouraged in Indonesia. However, government programs - such as the "Healthy Four, Perfect Five" principles - seem to have limited effect and therefore there is plenty of room for the private sector to encourage consumers to lead a healthier lifestyle. In fact, encouraging a healthier lifestyle can become part of a business model.

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Culinary is certainly a promising business in Indonesia, particularly in Jakarta. Jakarta Dining Index Research done by Qraved reveals that every year, Jakartans dine out as many as 380 million times and spend up to IDR 21.4 trillion (approx. USD $1.5 billion). This fact is supported by huge growth of mid-scale restaurants (amounting up to 250 percent) in the last five years. It is therefore not surprising that Jakarta has an abundant option of restaurants.

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Direct investment in the medical device industry of Indonesia soared nearly seven-fold to IDR 4.7 trillion (approx. USD $343 million) in 2017 (compared to the preceding year). Rising investment stems from new as well as existing local companies, foreign investors, and local-foreign joint ventures. But what is behind this growth?

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The tobacco and cigarette business in Indonesia is big business. Two tobacco companies are positioned within the top ten of largest companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (in terms of market capitalization) as there exists a huge market for cigarettes in Indonesia with some 65 percent of Indonesian men being smokers (due to Indonesia's socio-cultural context few Indonesian women smoke). Moreover, the Indonesian government seems unwilling to limit cigarette consumption (both active and passive smoking) among the population.

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Relatively frequently Indonesia is shocked by major scandals; usually it is a high-profile corruption case involving politicians or big businessmen but since Friday (24/06) a new scandal arose that has been keeping local media busy. This scandal is more sensitive as it involves the health of little children. Apparently, fake vaccines have been given to children - primarily to babies under one year old - across Java for the past 13 years. Police arrested a total of 16 people on grounds that they have been involved in the production and distribution of fake counterfeit vaccines.

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Indonesia's slowing economic growth, weaker purchasing power and an 8.7 percent increase in excise on tobacco products (in early 2015) had a relatively small impact on the financial performance of Indonesia's listed tobacco companies HM Sampoerna, Gudang Garam, Bentoel Internasional Investama and Wismilak Inti Makmur. Whereas companies active in various other sectors of the Indonesian economy were plagued by falling revenue and profit figures, these tobacco firms still posted solid gains in revenue and - to a lesser degree - net profit growth. This shows that Indonesian smokers are faithful to their "death stick".

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Although Indonesia's National Health Insurance program is not without problems, it does benefit Indonesian hospitals and makes investment in the nation's hospital sector attractive, particularly as the Indonesian government targets to provide universal health care to all Indonesians by the year 2019. Reportedly, those hospitals that receive patients that fall under Indonesia's Healthcare and Social Security Agency (Badan Penyelenggara Jaminan Sosial, or BPJS Kesehatan) are the busiest hospitals in Indonesia at the moment.

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Companies active in the pharmaceutical industry of Indonesia need to find strategies to overcome sharp rupiah depreciation. Indonesia’s pharmaceutical industry is still - to a large extent - dependent on the import of raw materials, hence a weakening rupiah raises the costs of imports thus eroding profit margins. Since May 2013, when the US Federal Reserve started to hint at monetary tightening, the US dollar has experienced bullish momentum. Between the May 2013 and July 2015, the rupiah depreciated around 37 percent against the US dollar.

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