Public Relations UPNVJ - Hyperbaric services are already running in Indonesia, but only limited to hospitals. There is no such service in primary care yet. In fact, hyperbaric services are also considered necessary to be implemented in primary services below hospital level.

Matters regarding hyperbaric services were discussed in an event entitled Discussion on Hyperbaric Services in Indonesia which was held at the Medical Education and Research Center of the National Development University "Veteran" Jakarta on Wednesday, November 8 2023.

Director of Primary Health Services from the Indonesian Ministry of Health, dr. Obrin Parulian, M.Kes., said that there is a kind of mismatch regarding the regulations for hyperbaric services in Indonesia, namely between Government Regulation (PP) Number 5 of 2021 and Minister of Health Regulation (Permenkes) Number 14 of 2021.

In PP No. 5 of 2021, it is stated that business permits for hyperbaric services may be carried out by government hospitals, private hospitals, private clinics and supporting health services.

"But once the health regulation was issued, as a derivative of it, it was only opened in two, namely government hospitals and private hospitals. In the end it was 'locked' only in hospitals," said Obrin.

"So from this development, we are currently carrying out a revision process," he continued.

Apart from being limited to hospitals, hyperbaric services in Indonesia are currently only provided by specialist doctors. Through later revisions, it is hoped that general practitioners will also be able to carry out hyperbaric procedures, provided that the doctor has obtained additional competencies.

Ways to obtain these competencies, including training and certification, are currently under discussion.

Development of Hyperbaric Services

Special Staff to the Minister of Health, Prof. Laksono Trisnantoro MSc PhD, said that hyperbaric services in Indonesia are already running, but are still relatively low in terms of numbers. In fact, Indonesia is an archipelagic and maritime country, where water-related health problems often occur and are included in the realm of hyperbaric therapy treatment.

"Don't let only 500 thousand people enjoy hyperbaric services in Indonesia, for example. So we are all now in the spirit of development," said Laksono.

"So apart from the technology being mature, the regulations must also be prepared. Hyperbarics must be developed, not reduced," he continued.

Prof. Dr. M Guritno Suryokusumo, SMSHS, DEA Professor at UPN Veteran Jakarta, confirmed that one of the main problems surrounding hyperbaric services in Indonesia is licensing.

He reiterated the importance for the government to immediately revise Minister of Health Regulation No. 14 of 2021. "Currently hyperbaric medical services only reach main clinics, not yet primary care," said Guritno.

"It is hoped that in the future general practitioners with hyperbaric competence will be able to operate in Indonesia, such as those in the UPNVJ Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Health Sciences programs," he concluded.

Hyperbarics is a treatment method that involves breathing pure oxygen in a high-pressure room. With room conditions like that, the flow of oxygen entering the body will be greater.

When hyperbaric therapy is carried out, the room that will be used has air pressure up to three times higher than normal air pressure. With these room conditions, it is hoped that more oxygen will enter the body.

Hyperbaric therapy is used to treat various diseases, including carbon monoxide poisoning, anemia, burns, and sudden loss of hearing and vision.