RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia's Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin and Head of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Arif Satria, emphasized the importance of synergizing government policies with research and innovation. These efforts aim to strengthen primary healthcare services in Indonesia.

In a press release received by RRI VOI on July 29, 2026, Head of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Arif Satria, stated that strengthening community-level healthcare services is the foundation for improving the quality of life of the community and national health resilience. He stated that the healthcare system now faces far more complex challenges than before, ranging from climate change to the development of artificial intelligence.

He explained that health is a complex, adaptive system that can no longer be approached narrowly through curative measures or solely relying on drugs. A holistic approach involving the agricultural, education, environmental, and digital innovation sectors is deemed essential.

One real challenge, Arif said, is the impact of climate change on the micronutrient content of food crops, which threatens children's nutritional intake. On the other hand, the demographic transition, characterized by an increasing elderly population, is changing disease patterns and demanding more adaptive healthcare services.

Facing this challenge, BRIN views strengthening primary healthcare through community health centers (Puskesmas) and integrated health posts (Posyandu) as a fundamental strategy, as the greatest health problems are at the grassroots level. Arif added that modernizing community health centers, transforming Posyandus (Posyandu), and utilizing digital health platforms are crucial for improving service quality.

Research is considered a key foundation for health transformation because it helps map community needs and evaluate the effectiveness of policy interventions. BRIN continues to strengthen research infrastructure, such as genomics, high-performance computing, and cryo-electron microscopy, to support precision medicine and precision public health.

Meanwhile, Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin reminded that Indonesia only has until around 2035 to capitalize on the demographic bonus by increasing per capita income, which can only be achieved if the population is healthy. Therefore, the Ministry of Health continues to accelerate Primary Care Integration, shifting the service approach from disease-based to lifecycle-based, enabling community health centers to serve all age groups comprehensively.