Jakarta ( ( WNAM MONITORING): Indonesia’s Health Ministry has added eye screening to its 2026 Free Health Check (CKG) Program and ensured cataract surgery coverage under national insurance, citing hundreds of thousands of blindness cases that threaten productivity.
Deputy Health Minister Dante Saksono Harbuwono said around 600,000–650,000 cataract-related blindness cases were recorded in 2025, posing risks to national productivity, particularly among older adults.
Health Ministry data show 81.2 percent of blindness among people aged over 50 is primarily caused by cataracts.
“If untreated, cataracts lead not only to vision loss but also reduced social roles and productivity,” he said on Sunday.
Screening results from the 2025–2026 program found 2.95 million people with eye disorders among 23.35 million examined, underscoring the urgency of early detection.
He said cataract patients lose access to about 80 percent of visual information, significantly limiting daily functioning.
Beyond these measures, the ministry is partnering with the Noor Dubai Foundation and the Indonesian Ophthalmologist Association to provide free surgery for 500 patients from January to May 2026.
Surgeries will be conducted across several provinces, including Central Kalimantan (200 patients), West Nusa Tenggara (150), and East Nusa Tenggara (150).
UAE Ambassador to Indonesia and ASEAN Abdulla Salem Obaid AlDhaheri said the cooperation strengthens bilateral ties.
