YOGYAKARTA — The Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI), together with PELKESI and YAKKUM, held a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) at the Bethesda Hospital Auditorium, Yogyakarta, to discuss the future of Christian healthcare services. This forum was designed to address the dynamic changes in national health regulations and ensure the operational sustainability of various Christian value-based hospitals and clinics in the country.
General Secretary of PGI, Rev. Darwin Darmawan, highlighted the recent decline in performance and even the closure of several Christian hospitals. According to him, healthcare is an integral part of the church's mission alongside education. Through this discussion forum, attended by more than 50 representatives of synods and foundation administrators, it is hoped that a synergy will emerge capable of improving institutional governance so that they continue to be a blessing to the wider community.
The challenges faced by Christian health institutions are becoming increasingly complex, ranging from adjustments to the National Health Insurance (JKN) program, medical technology disruptions, large investment needs, to intense industry competition. These dynamics require hospital management not only to think about financial aspects but also to strengthen human resource quality and organizational adaptability.
During the discussion, participants formulated strategies to strengthen church philanthropy and a value-based healthcare approach. This concept is considered crucial for building professional, transparent, and accountable governance without abandoning the spiritual identity of the institutions. In addition, collaboration with various strategic partners, including the government and BPJS Kesehatan, is seen as a crucial step to expand service coverage.
This FGD presented perspectives from academics at Satya Wacana Christian University, Dr. Dyah Hapsari Prananingrum, as well as health practitioners such as dr. Daniel Budi Wibowo from PELKESI and Dr. David Santoso from Immanuel Hospital Bandung. Furthermore, the success story of the revitalization of PGI Cikini Hospital by YAKES PGI and the Mustard Seed (Biji Sesawi) Program by YAKKUM were presented as concrete examples of congregation-based health philanthropy with a tangible impact.
