Strengthening Health Systems to Overcome Respiratory Infectious Diseases in Indonesia: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract: Respiratory infectious diseases (RIDs) remain a persistent public health challenge in Indonesia, a vast archipelago with complex healthcare delivery and marked regional inequities. The COVID-19 pandemic revealed critical weaknesses in the country’s surveillance systems, diagnostic capacity, and outbreak response, underscoring the urgent need for stronger pandemic preparedness and a transition from a reactive, crisis-driven model to a proactive, prevention-focused health system. This study synthesizes existing literature, policy documents, and recent evaluation reports to assess Indonesia’s health system performance in RID management and to identify evidence-based priorities for reform. The analysis is structured around five health system components: (1) surveillance and early warning, (2) diagnostic and laboratory capacity, (3) healthcare workforce, (4) public health infrastructure and primary care, and (5) governance and financing. Indonesia demonstrates important strengths, including a nationwide network of more than 10,000 Primary Health Centers (Puskesmas) and proven vaccination campaign capacity. However, significant gaps persist: during COVID-19, Early Warning Alert and Response System (EWARS) reporting completeness dropped from 75% to 53%, rural and remote areas remain underserved by diagnostics, and health workforce distribution continues to be inequitable Priority reforms include scaling up point-of-care diagnostics across all Puskesmas, integrating fragmented surveillance platforms through SatuSehat , empowering community health workers with digital tools, and ensuring sustainable financing for preparedness. Medium-term strategies focus on workforce redistribution and the establishment of regional health security centers, while long-term priorities emphasize predictive health intelligence, resilient supply chains, and nationwide facility upgrades. Building a resilient, prevention-oriented system will require sustained political commitment, innovative financing, and cross-sectoral collaboration, positioning Indonesia not only to strengthen domestic health security but also to serve as a regional leader in epidemic preparedness. Keywords: respiratory infectious diseases, health system strengthening, pandemic preparedness, surveillance systems, Indonesia