October 24, 2025 | 06:41 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Center for Indonesia's Strategic Development Initiatives (CISDI) assessed several priority programs under the administration of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka in the health sector and found that they still need a lot of improvement. Especially in the implementation of fast-track programs such as Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) and free health checkups (CKG).
During this administration, CISDI sees that these fast-track programs have disrupted the existing health programs. "President Prabowo's flagship program has incurred a huge budget and targeted tens of millions of beneficiaries within the first year," said CISDI Founder and CEO Diah Saminarsih on Friday, October 24, 2025.
For example, in the implementation of the free nutritious meal program, CISDI found that it has not met the quality standards of nutritional intervention. Diah said that the extensive use of ultra-processed food clashes with the existing nutritional improvement program.
Additionally, formula milk and packaged complementary feeding products were found in the MBG menu guide. This policy contradicts Articles 33 and 35 of Government Regulation Number 28 of 2024. "These regulations explicitly prohibit the entry of products from formula milk manufacturers and distributors into public service activities, including nutritional interventions," said Diah.
Furthermore, in the first year of the MBG program, the government was unable to meet food safety standards. As of October 22, 2025, CISDI recorded a total of 11,585 cases of food poisoning in dozens of regencies and cities in 24 provinces.
Not only that, the latest regulations from the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) involving health cadres in the MBG program have added to the list of complexities. Diah mentioned that health cadres have already had to master 25 basic skills.
With the addition of new regulations from the BGN, they must now also help distribute MBG to integrated health posts, pregnant women, nursing mothers, and toddlers. "This is done without clear incentive arrangements," said Diah.
Furthermore, in the free health checkup program, CISDI questioned the government's follow-up after the public underwent health tests. Diah said that this program is actually good for helping primary health services detect communicable diseases.
However, Diah stated that detection alone is not enough. The government must also consider the sustainability of the service. "Free health checkups should not only be positioned as a promotive and preventive approach to early detection of non-communicable diseases up to tuberculosis by ensuring the sustainability of services or treatment for high-risk diseases."
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