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Staying Safe & Healthy

On arrival in Jakarta you will no doubt have some questions about general health issues. We hope to answer some of those questions here but if you need further help or advice you can post your questions in our Health & Safety forum and a doctor from Global Assistance & Healthcare will answer your query.

Please read more about the extensive health care services offered by our sponsor Global Assistance & Healthcare here.

Some important pointers about health care in Indonesia are;

Ambulance Services

Ambulance services do not operate in Indonesia in the same way as they may do in your home country. There is no “999” or “911” ambulance response available. It is recommended that you take First Aid Training and have a First Aid Kit in your home and car. In an Emergency situation, it is best to take an injured or sick person to an Emergency Room by car or taxi. Otherwise, you may have to wait for up to 1 hour for an ambulance to arrive. In Indonesia, most ambulances are patient transfer vehicles.. The amublance personnel may not have any paramedic training and there may be very little medical equipement in the ambulance. All the more reason for you to be proactive and learn how to provide basic life support and injury management.They may be useful skills to have during your stay.

Medical Insurance

Thoroughly study your medical insurance policy, benefits, and exclusions. Medical insurance is required for hospitalisation and medical evacuation in Indonesia. It can cause stress and delay if you discover that your medical needs are not covered by your insurance.

Medical Evacuation

Evacuation to Singapore for more thorough tests and invasive treatment is relatively common here. This can be organized by your doctor in Jakarta. However, in an emergency situation, it is rare that an air ambulance and medical crew are on standby at Jakarta Airport. Aircraft and medical crew will be sent from Singapore to escort the patient from Jakarta. This process can sometimes add 6-8 hours to an evacuation plan.

Expatriate Emergency Rh Negative Blood Donor Committee

Blood supplies are usually very limited in Indonesia, especially Rhesus Negative Blood. The Rhesus Negative group is rare amongst Indonesians (less than 1% of the population) whilst 15% of Caucasians are Rhesus Negative. O Rhesus Negative is also known as the ‘universal donor’ – meaning that in an emergency situation anyone can receive this blood.

If you are Rhesus Negative and wish to become a standby donor please contact :

SOS Cipete
Tel: 021 750 5980 / 021 750 5973 / 021 750 6001
or
Indonesian Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service, Jl. Kramat Raya No 47, Jakarta 10450
Tel: 021 327 711 / 021 390 6666 / 021 390 9259

The clinics (doctors) we have listed here are the ones most commonly used by expatriate families in Jakarta. However, medical facilities on offer here are somewhat limited compared to most western countries. Also listed here are chiropractors and dentists.

Pharmacies and a cross referenced list of medication names are listed in our medication information page.

Tropical climate concerns about mosquitoes and mosquito transmitted diseases and also fever, dehydration and diarrhoea are dealt with here.

Common diseases in Indonesia such as typhoid and hepatitis are detailed here and also the current vaccination schedule used by Jakarta Women & Children's Clinic.  For the vaccination schedule that your own country recommends, search online or contact your embassy in Jakarta.

Water in the taps in Indonesia is NOT safe for drinking under any circumstances. This includes using it in cooking. Use bottled water at all times. It is safe to bathe your children, but make sure they don't drink it!.

Allergies & special diets may be a concern when moving countries but Jakarta offers more assistance than you may think.

Staff health is an important issue for you to consider, assuming that you are employing staff in your house here. It is advisable to take them to an internationally recognized clinic for a medical prior to employment. You may want to offer to have them vaccinated against the more common diseases.

Our household safety page will give you some general guidelines relevant to living in Indonesia.

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