Indonesia, West Papua – Healthcare in West Papua remains in a state of structural emergency, marked by institutional decay, corruption, and impunity.
The aggravating healthcare crisis in West Papua has come under scrutiny following revelations of alleged corruption amounting to IDR 10 billion at the Nabire Regional General Hospital (RSUD Nabire) and a series of deaths reportedly caused by medical malpractice and neglect at the Yowari Hospital in Sentani, the General Hospital in Serui, and Maybrat hospitals. The developments raise human rights concerns relating to the right to health, accountability, and equal access to public services in Indonesia's easternmost provinces.
On 26 July 2025, the Nabire District Prosecutor's Office confirmed that an investigation had been launched into suspected corruption at the RSUD Nabire Public Service Agency (BLUD) between 2024 and May 2025. According to the head of the Special Crimes Unit, Officer Chrispo Simanjuntak, the case involves the misuse of at least IDR 10 billion (about 524,000), with expenditures of IDR 6 billion (about 315,000) unsupported by valid documentation and an additional IDR 4 billion (about 109,000) spent outside the official budget. Crucially, incentive payments of IDR 1.9 billion (about 100,000) meant for health workers from the national health insurance programme (BPJS Kesehatan) were never disbursed to the intended recipients. Officer Simanjuntak indicated further investigations are underway, including scrutiny of tax deductions not remitted to the state treasury.
These financial irregularities coincide with public outrage over two recent cases of alleged malpractice, which reached media attention. One of the cases involved Mrs Apolonia Nia Mimin, a pregnant woman suffering from Malaria who died with her unborn child at the Yowari Regional General Hospital in Sentani on 4 June 2025. The other case occurred at 2025 at Serui Regional Hospital following two emergency surgeries that eventually resulted in the death of Mrs Adriana Wayoi, 30, on 4 June 2025. Both cases reveal disturbing patterns of delayed or denied treatment, lack of specialist care, absent transparency, and possible malpractice. In a separate case on 15 July 2025, complaints about the complete absence of medical staff and ongoing power outages at Maybrat District Hospital further underscored the systemic neglect of health services in the region.
Human rights perspective
These incidents represent serious violations of Article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), to which Indonesia is a party. The article enshrines the right of every individual to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, including timely and appropriate healthcare services, adequate medical infrastructure, and professional conduct of medical personnel.
In both cases, the absence of timely intervention, the lack of transparency in treatment decisions, and the failure to obtain informed consent or communicate with families indicate gross negligence and systemic malpractice. The government bears responsibility for ensuring that hospitals are not only available but also accessible, acceptable, and of good quality as per the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights' General Comment No. 14.
Moreover, the alleged corruption at RSUD Nabire raises serious accountability concerns under Article 2(1) ICESCR, which obliges the state to use its maximum available resources to fulfil socio-economic rights. Embezzlement of public health funds directly undermines this obligation and contributes to the under-resourcing of hospitals, the non-payment of health workers, and the degradation of services.
The cases also illustrate de facto discrimination against poor and marginalised groups in West Papua, particularly those relying on BPJS health insurance, mainly indigenous Papuans. Papuan public policy experts noted unequal treatment and slower service for BPJS Class 3 patients, who mostly come from low-income communities. This constitutes a breach of the principle of non-discrimination enshrined in Article 2(2) ICESCR and other international human rights instruments.
Urgent reform needed
In light of these findings, urgent steps must be taken to prevent the further spread of corruption in healthcare institutions across West Papua. Institutional reform of hospital governance structures is urgently needed, including the reactivation of dormant Medical and Quality Committees, regular evaluations, and enforcement of standard operating procedures and minimum service standards. Oversight mechanisms such as the Health Ombudsman must be strengthened to ensure accountability and rights-based healthcare provision.
Finally, the state must invest in medical personnel and infrastructure in West Papua. Health workers should receive adequate incentives, guarantees for family welfare, and decentralised medical education to address the chronic healthcare deficiencies in West Papua. Without systemic reform and robust accountability measures, further violations of the right to health are inevitable. The Indonesian government must treat these cases as a national human rights priority and ensure justice for the victims and their families.