Jakarta — Minister of Defense and President-elect, Prabowo Subianto, has recently undergone surgery for a leg injury at the National Defense Center Hospital Panglima Besar Soedirman, Jakarta. Prabowo’s decision to seek treatment at a local hospital is seen as a sign of confidence in the healthcare system in the country.
The Head of the Rehabilitation Center at the Ministry of Defense, Daniel Lumadyo Wartoadi, mentioned that Prabowo himself chose the National Defense Center Hospital for the operation to treat his leg injury. “Why choose the National Defense Center Hospital? This is what he wanted. We, as a nation, must be able to respond to the challenges in today’s world and show that we can,” said Daniel during the 56th Anniversary of the Rehabilitation Center at the Ministry of Defense in Jakarta, on Friday (July 5, 2024).
In an official Instagram post (@prabowo) on Sunday (June 30, 2024), Prabowo revealed that he had just completed a medical procedure for the recovery of his injury. “Praise be to God, a week ago, the medical team successfully carried out the procedure to heal the injury I have been experiencing. God willing, with good health moving forward, I am more prepared to serve and dedicate myself to the country and people of Indonesia,” wrote Prabowo.
Prabowo’s decision to undergo surgery domestically has been praised by various parties. Professor of Internal Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia/Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, Ari Fahrial Syam, believes that this decision demonstrates trust in the capacity of healthcare professionals in the country. “The information that the president-elect underwent major surgery and succeeded in his own country, with Indonesian doctors, brings joy to us healthcare workers, especially doctors. Hopefully, statements of recognition like this will also come from other prominent figures so that the upper class in Indonesia can trust and be willing to receive healthcare services in their own country,” Ari expressed.
The surgery performed on Prabowo was handled by orthopedic and traumatology specialist consultant, Sunaryo Kusumo. Sunaryo stated that Prabowo’s condition has improved post-operation. “So, he only wanted the surgery. The purpose was to fix the old injury, dating back to the 1980s,” he said. Prabowo suffered the injury from two parachute jump accidents while serving in the Indonesian National Army in the 1980s, which resulted in a leg injury.
Sunaryo added that despite Prabowo’s improved condition, regular check-ups and monitoring are still provided. “As we can see, he can already walk without the assistance of others, without a cane,” he added.
Daniel also mentioned the challenges faced in operating on Prabowo, especially due to the long-standing injury and Prabowo’s age. “We think about what might happen and we have to be prepared. Secondly, in terms of age, with such age, are there any complications that we need to prepare for,” Daniel explained.
Prabowo Subianto’s decision to undergo leg injury surgery at a local hospital reaffirms confidence in the quality of healthcare services in Indonesia. This step is hoped to set an example for other public figures and officials to choose domestic healthcare services and provide encouragement for hospitals and medical education institutions to continue improving their quality.
The competence and quality of healthcare professionals in Indonesia are no less than those of doctors abroad. With the support of public figures, it is hoped that the upper class in Indonesia will increasingly trust and be willing to receive healthcare services domestically, thereby reducing the number of people seeking medical treatment abroad.
