The President Director of BPJS Kesehatan, Prihati Pujowaskito, officially flagged off the departure of the Ksatria Airlangga Hospital Ship (RSKKA) from Tanjung Perak Port, Surabaya, on Sunday (12/7/2026). This strategic step was taken as a concrete effort by the government to deliver equitable healthcare services to the farthest corners of the archipelago.
The floating hospital ship is scheduled to visit several outer islands in Sumenep Regency, Madura, including Raas Island, Karamian Island, and Masalembu Island. These areas were selected due to geographical challenges that severely limit local residents' access to standard healthcare facilities.
Prihati emphasized that this initiative is part of expanding the reach of the National Health Insurance (JKN) program in underdeveloped, frontier, and outermost (3T) regions. In accordance with regulations, BPJS Kesehatan has the authority to provide mobile medical services in areas lacking adequate healthcare facilities, supported by recommendations from the relevant local governments.
Meanwhile, the Director of RSKKA, Dr. Agus Harianto, explained that this humanitarian mission will run for 11 days, from July 14 to 24, 2026. The team aims to serve a minimum of 100 patients on each island, though the total estimated number of patients is expected to be much higher given the strong enthusiasm from residents of surrounding islands.
In terms of medical procedures, the medical team has prepared a comprehensive service plan, including a target of five major surgeries per day at each stopover location. Minor surgical procedures will be performed flexibly according to field needs and referrals from local healthcare facilities, while strictly adhering to standard operating procedures (SOP) for patient and medical staff safety.
