INDUSTRY.co.id - So far, when Indonesian people think of medical tourism, they imagine Singapore, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, or Taiwan.
In fact, the foundation for building an international Medical City has actually begun to form in Cikarang.
The city, which has been known as a national manufacturing center, now has the opportunity to develop into the largest center for health services, medical education, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices in Indonesia. Cikarang is no ordinary city.
With a daytime population of more than one million people working in thousands of national and multinational companies, the industrial estate and its township have become one of the largest economic ecosystems in Indonesia.
If manufacturing becomes Cikarang's first economic engine, then health can become the next economic engine.
Like Houston with Texas Medical Center or Penang with its medical tourism, Cikarang has the opportunity to build a new identity as Cikarang Medical City.
Currently, Cikarang and its surroundings have a very wide network of hospitals, ranging from national private hospitals, international hospitals, industrial hospitals, to educational hospitals.
In the future, the presence of President University Research and Teaching Hospital (PURTH) will complement the ecosystem as a center for education, research, and academic-based health services.
What distinguishes PURTH is not only the service function, but its ability to integrate medical education, clinical research, AI health technology, precision medicine, international cooperation, and the development of SDM health. This model has become the foundation of the success of various medical cities in the world.
Cikarang's biggest advantage is a very strong industrial base. In the Cikarang and Bekasi industrial areas, various pharmaceutical, biotechnology, laboratory, and medical device manufacturers operate for the Indonesian market and export.
Prodia Group's collaboration with President University's Faculty of Medicine shows the direction of this development, with the support of diagnostic, laboratory, and health technology companies. Prodia has also long developed occupational health services and industrial diagnostics in Cikarang.
Meanwhile, PHC Indonesia produces various health devices and medical devices from its manufacturing base in MM2100 Cikarang. Such integrated ecosystems are rarely found in other regions.
In terms of location, Cikarang is located in the eastern corridor of Jakarta, near the international airport, fast trains, toll roads, international hotels, shopping centers, golf courses, modern housing, and international education.
Patients for medical check-ups, rehabilitation, elective surgery, elderly care, regenerative therapy, and preventive services can get a comfortable experience without entering Jakarta traffic jams. For patients from ASEAN, the Middle East, Australia, and Africa, Cikarang has the potential to offer international services at a more competitive cost.
The presence of the President of the University is also a differentiator. Not many industrial cities have international universities in the middle of their industrial areas.
This allows Cikarang Medical City to develop faculties of medicine, public health, bioengineering, AI for health, medical data science, pharmacy, and biotechnology research. The collaboration of universities, hospitals, pharmaceutical industry, and medical devices is a model that has proven successful in global health centers.
By 2045, Cikarang could have a much larger identity: Indonesia's international center of manufacturing, education, innovation, and health.
If hospitals, universities, pharmaceutical industry, medical device manufacturers, local governments, and industry players synergize, then Cikarang is not only the largest industrial area in Indonesia.
Cikarang can become an Indonesian Medical City that exports products to the world while attracting patients, doctors, researchers, students, and global health investments.
This is the transformation of Cikarang from Manufacturing Hub to Healthcare and Innovation Hub of Indonesia.
