Allianz sets sail with floating hospital initiative

Allianz sets sail with floating hospital initiative

Allianz sets sail with floating hospital initiative | Insurance Business Asia

Life & Health

Allianz sets sail with floating hospital initiative

Program to benefit Indonesia’s remote communities

Life & Health

By
Roxanne Libatique

Allianz, Global Institute for Tomorrow (GIFT), and doctorSHARE have joined forces to enhance healthcare access for Indonesia’s remote island communities through the Floating Hospital initiative.

Indonesia, composed of numerous islands, faces significant logistical challenges in providing medical services.

Challenges in delivering high-quality medical services in Indonesia

According to 2022 statistics from Biro Pusat Statistik (Central Bureau of Statistics), only 79.33% of the population has access to primary medical services.

Data from Bappenas (National Planning Agency) revealed that 11 provinces, encompassing over half of Indonesia’s villages, struggle to access hospital services.

The shortage of medical professionals compounds these issues. According to Allianz, Indonesia’s doctor-to-patient ratio stands at 1:1,724, falling short of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) recommended 1:1,000. For specialist care, the ratio is even lower, with one doctor for every 6,666 patients.

Floating Hospital program

To address these challenges, doctorSHARE launched the Floating Hospital program, designed to deliver medical aid to isolated island communities.

By 2024, the program was operating two floating hospitals on Misool Island in Raja Ampat Regency, Southwest Papua province, and Benjina Island in Aru Islands Regency, Maluku.

Collaboration between Allianz, GIFT, and doctorSHARE

In early 2024, Allianz Asia Pacific collaborated with GIFT to launch the “Improving Medical Services for The Communities in Indonesia” initiative, part of Allianz’s Ascent 2030 leadership program. The program gathers management representatives from the insurance giant’s various markets to engage in business and managerial studies, driving innovative health programs in Indonesia.

See also  US-based bond insurer enters Australian market

Now, Allianz, GIFT, and doctorSHARE are working on strategies to improve healthcare access for underserved island communities.

The initiative began with a visit to RS Kapal Nusa Waluya II on Misool Island, where the team, along with doctorSHARE management, discussed healthcare service sustainability with local regulators.

A public forum was held by Ascent 2030 participants to present their findings and plans. The event was attended by Indonesia’s Minister of Health, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, and over 150 participants, including government officials, NGOs, and Allianz Indonesia’s senior management.

“This initiative led by Allianz in collaboration with GIFT, aimed at first-hand observations of healthcare services in the remote Indonesian islands, is an excellent partnership. The site visits conducted, together with the studies done and analysis formed related to doctorSHARE’s program management and operations, have helped the organisation refine its organisational strategies and operations. The learnings from this collaboration serve as a reference for relevant stakeholders in implementing and developing similar programs,” said doctorSHARE managing director Tutuk Utomo.

Alexander Grenz, country managing and president director of Allianz Life Indonesia, added: “The Allianz Ascent 2030 program is part of our commitment to nurture ‘Purposeful Leadership’ within Allianz Asia Pacific. The program participants are encouraged to become more than just leaders but also to give back and help others. Together with our partners, GIFT and doctorSHARE, we continue to care and give back to the people around us. We remain committed to developing our people and strengthening our sustainability efforts in the communities in which we operate.”

Related Stories

Keep up with the latest news and events

Join our mailing list, it’s free!