Elon Musk Launches Starlink to Connect Indonesian Health Centers with Internet

The Starlink service was inaugurated at three Indonesian health centres: two in Bali and one on the remote Aru Island in Maluku.

Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, and Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin on Sunday launched SpaceX’s satellite internet service, Starlink, to enhance healthcare access in Indonesia's remote regions.

The launch event took place at a community health center in Denpasar, Bali, aiming to bridge the digital divide in the sprawling archipelago.

The tech tycoon emphasized the impact of Starlink on connectivity in Indonesia, a nation of over 270 million people spanning three time zones.

“I’m very excited to bring connectivity to places that have low connectivity. If you have access to the internet, you can learn anything,” Musk stated.

The service was inaugurated at three Indonesian health centers: two in Bali and one on the remote Aru Island in Maluku.

A video presentation at the launch showcased the potential of high-speed internet to address health issues such as stunting and malnutrition through real-time data input.

With the launch, Indonesia becomes the third country in Asia, after Malaysia and the Philippines to have Starlink services.

Starlink, a satellite internet service developed by SpaceX, provides high-speed internet access to remote and underserved areas.

Indonesian Communications Minister Budi Arie Setiadi, also present at the Bali launch, announced that Starlink’s priority will be on serving outer and underdeveloped regions.

The introduction of Starlink in Indonesia is expected to significantly enhance internet access in remote areas, facilitating improved healthcare services and broader educational opportunities.

The Indonesian government, through this collaboration with SpaceX, aims to harness Starlink’s capabilities to address pressing health challenges and improve the quality of life for its citizens in underserved regions.

Bridging the Internet Connectivity Gap

Commenting on the launch, the Indonesian Health Ministry in a statement said that the internet service will help it overcome the geographical challenges.

"The presence of Starlink is expected to improve the quality of health services throughout Indonesia, with its ability to reach wider community health centres in areas with geographical challenges," the statement read.

The health minister also highlighted the need for internet facilities in Indonesian community health centers and any progress would only be possible with an active internet network.

“Of the 10,000 community health centers in Indonesia, around 745 do not have internet access and 1,475 have limited internet access. All of them are spread across seven thousand islands in Indonesia," he remarked.

According to the Indonesian government, the health operational assistance budget under the management of the special allocation fund which the central government provides to the regional governments is being used to foot the bill for subscribing to Starlink for Indonesia's community health centers.

Healthcare Challenges Amplified by Poor Internet Access

Indonesia, the fourth most populous country in the world, consists of 17,000 small islands and archipelagos.

Its remote, sparsely populated areas, particularly in the eastern parts of the country, face significant challenges in terms of infrastructure development and internet connectivity.

The cost of deploying physical infrastructure, such as fiber-optic cables, to these remote areas is often prohibitively high.

Insufficient internet access impedes the development of healthcare infrastructure, including the implementation of electronic health records (EHRs), telehealth platforms, and other digital healthcare solutions that can enhance the efficiency and quality of healthcare services.