Asia Pacific
21:56, 25-Jan-2019
The Inspires: A retired doctor providing free healthcare to Jakarta's poor
Updated
09:05, 26-Jan-2019
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A retired doctor in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, is making the most out of his free time by giving back to society.
Dr. Mangku opened his own clinic 15 years ago with the simple aim of putting his patients' needs first. Today, his clinic is still operating, providing affordable healthcare to millions of low-income families across Jakarta.
Dr. Mangku Sitepu has always wanted to make a contribution to his nation. At an early age, he had dreams of becoming a doctor. And that's exactly what he did. His career began as a veterinarian, but 15 years after that he decided to change his line of focus and went on to become a general practitioner.
Today, he's living in retirement and making the most out of it. While many people enjoy their downtime during retirement, Mangku remains active in his profession. He operates his own medical practice in South Jakarta. It has grown tremendously in more than a decade.
“I believe in practicing altruism. When I opened this clinic more than 10 years ago, Indonesians were not aware of insurance. They didn't have it and didn't know anything about it. I saw that there were a lot of people living in poverty who couldn't get access to quality healthcare and that encouraged me help them," said Mangku.
Growing up in a village on the outskirts of north Sumatra, Mangku saw how his small community faced various diseases, some incurable. That fostered his interest in medicine. He hasn't been home since but says his ultimate goal is to return back to his village to treat the people in the community he grew up in.
Research shows that 60 percent of Indonesians do not have health insurance. In a country that's constantly battling diseases like malaria, dengue fever and malnutrition, that number is concerning. Although the government has their version of a universal health coverage for low-income families, it still does not provide a complete solution to the issues present in Indonesia's healthcare industry.
"What sets him (Dr. Mangku) apart is he does it for everyone regardless of their cultural, financial and social background. Doctors in Indonesia have a lot to learn from him," said Dr. Fery Rahman from Indonesia's Doctor Association.
Mangku's passion continues to live on, in the thousands of patients that he has helped throughout the years.