Joined the programme in 2018
In Jakarta, a lack of public knowledge and awareness about diabetes
means that most people living with the condition in the city are
undiagnosed. To change this, Cities for Better Health in Jakarta is
working to increase the rate of diabetes diagnosis.
Over the past 10 years, the prevalence of diabetes in Indonesia has almost doubled, with rates of diabetes higher in the urban areas than in the rural areas1. More than two-thirds of the people living with diabetes in Indonesia are undiagnosed2.
Among those who have received a diabetes diagnosis, only a limited number manage to meet their treatment targets. This is because Jakarta’s primary care system – which acts as a gatekeeper for diabetes screening and management – requires improvement. Poor implementation of the referral system and a lack of trust in primary care services has pushed the majority of people living with type 2 diabetes to seek care at the city’s hospitals.
Key facts and figures
60%
of adults with diabetes in Indonesia live in urban areas.3
30%
of adults in Jakarta are living with obesity.4
>2/3
of the people living with diabetes in Indonesia are undiagnosed.2
Cities for Better Health in Jakarta is acting through two initiatives to improve diabetes diagnosis and management in the city. The first of these, the Integrated Health Counselling Post, works to raise public awareness about diabetes and increase the rate of diabetes diagnosis. Cities for Better Health in Jakarta is focused on scaling up the activities of this programme in offices, shopping centres, university campuses, schools, and places of worship.
Together with its partners, Cities for Better Health in Jakarta aims to upskill healthcare professionals working in the community health centres and to improve the diagnosis and management of diabetes at the primary care level by developing a Diabetes Management Guideline.
Cities for Better Health in Jakarta will also work towards ensuring that the referral system, availability of treatment, and pharmacy supply support diabetes management at the primary care level.
"The awareness of early detection of diabetes in urban cities
such as Jakarta is still low, although facilities such as Puskesmas
[primary care] are widespread."
— dr. Em Yunir, Sp.PD, KEMD PERKEN, Endocrine Doctor
Jakarta Provincial Government
Jakarta Health Agency (DINKES)
Danish Embassy
Endocrinology Association (PERKENI)
Medical Research Institution, University of Indonesia (IMERI FK UI)
Ministry of Health
BPJS (Indonesian national healthcare insurance)
Centre for Health Economic and Policy Study (CHEPS)
University of Indonesia
Tahapary DL, Soewondo P. Burden of metabolic diseases in Indonesia: an even more critical issue during COVID-19 pandemic. Medical Journal of Indonesia. 2020;29(4):347-9.
Suastika K. The challenges of metabolic disorders in Indonesia: focus on metabolic syndrome, prediabetes, and diabetes. Medical Journal of Indonesia. 2020;29(4):350-3.
International Diabetes Federation. IDF Diabetes Atlas, 8 ed. Brussels, Belgium: International Diabetes Federation;2017.
Penelitian B, Kesehatan P. Hasil utama riskesdas 2018. Jakarta: Kementerian Kesehatan Republik Indonesia. 2018.
