Surabaya, Unair develop mobile application for medical tourism

Surabaya (ANTARA) - The Surabaya municipality administration in collaboration with Airlangga University (Unair) has prepared a mobile application for medical tourism service in the city.

Surabaya Mayor Eri Cahyadi remarked that the application included in the Surabaya medical tourism program, whose soft launch was conducted on September 27, is currently still being developed by Unair.

"Later on, the application will provide information on hospitals and their superior services and costs. Users can also find information related to tourism, hotels, restaurants, and various other facilities in the city," Cahyadi stated.

The mayor later noted that the medical tourism service will provide the best health services in Surabaya. Cahyadi believes that the city holds vast potential to provide the best health services in Surabaya and in eastern Indonesia.

"If we can run this program, it will automatically drive the economy, tourism, hotels, restaurants, and other aspects in Surabaya," Cahyadi noted.

The mayor later explained that the mobile application will provide services for a patient undergoing medical treatment in Surabaya, including with their friends or family accompanying them. The service includes airport pickup, hospital arrangements, and also a full itinerary created for the patient.

Cahyadi also pointed out that some 70 percent of Indonesians sought treatment abroad, most of whom were Surabaya residents. In fact, medical treatment in Indonesia is not inferior to abroad, he stressed.

This program was, in fact, devised from Cahyadi's experience in meeting a Surabaya patient, who had rented a private jet to go abroad for medical treatment. However, the doctor aboard diagnosed him with the same illness as the Surabaya doctor did.

"From the experience, I realized that we have great health workers with great hospitals. If patients can have excellent treatment in Indonesia, why should they go abroad?" he remarked.

Cahyadi is optimistic of the success of the medical tourism program that will be launched on November 10.

The Surabaya government had earlier held a soft launch of Surabaya Medical Tourism and the MoU signing pertaining to the implementation of medical tourism services at the Surabaya City Hall on September 27.

The MoU signing was conducted by Surabaya Mayor Eri Cahyadi, Airlangga University Rector Professor Mohammad Nasih, Chairman of the Indonesian Hospital Association East Java Region Dodo Anondo, Chairman of Association of the Indonesian Tours & Travel Agencies East Java Region Imam Mahmudi, Chairman of the Astindo East Java Region Yongky Yanwitarko, and Chairman of Regional Indonesia's Hotel and Restaurant Association in East Java Chapter, Dwi Cahyono. (*)