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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Indonesian government officials confirmed that there was one case of the Zika virus in the country but emphasized that there is no need for panic. This case occurred in early 2015 in Jambi (Sumatra) and was discovered when researchers studied specimens during a dengue fever outbreak. The infected person recovered and there are no reports of other cases. Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared this mosquito-borne virus a global emergency after having spread in South and Central America as well as the Caribbean. Asia is also vulnerable as the mosquito thrives in congested cities.

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In one of the next economic stimulus packages of the Indonesian government the focus will be on increasing domestic production of raw materials for medicines and medical devices. Currently, these industries are still highly dependent on imports of raw materials. It is estimated that around 90 percent of raw/basic materials for medicines and medical devices need to be imported from abroad and therefore cause additional pressure on Indonesia's balance of payments.

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It is interesting to take a quick look at Indonesia’s national healthcare program (in Indonesian: Jaminan Kesehatan Nasional, JKN) that is managed by the government’s Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan).

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The COVID-19 crisis in Indonesia continues to show an easing trend reflected in the declining number of new positive COVID-19 test results across the Archipelago in September 2021 (a trend that started in mid-July 2021 when the tsunami-shaped wave of new COVID-19 cases peaked).

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For more than a year now, small-scale studies from around the world suggest that a medicine called Ivermectin (which is actually used to treat various types of parasite infestations) is effective to combat COVID-19, both in a prophylactic (prevention) and therapeutic (treatment) setting.

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On 1 July 2021 Indonesian President Joko Widodo announced emergency measures (in Indonesian: Pemberlakukan Pembatasan Kegiatan Masyarakat Darurat, or PPKM Darurat, which roughly translates to the Enforcement of Restrictions on Activities in Society) in a renewed effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The pharmaceutical industry has been a center of focus in the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis because it has an important role to play. This industry discovers, develops, produces, and markets (pharmaceutical) drugs for use as medications, with the aim to cure the patients, vaccinate them, or alleviate the symptoms. Hence, developing a vaccine or cure to COVID-19 is the responsibility of the pharmaceutical industry.

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Across the globe governments and pharmaceutical companies are busy working on a vaccine to make people immune against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Having the availability of a reliable vaccine would be a solution because COVID-19 seems to spread quite easily, while the majority of the world's population remains vulnerable to the virus.

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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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