Starlink in Indonesia: Internet Access is Only the First Step toward Digital Transformation in Healthcare
Starlink’s entry as an internet provider in Indonesia may improve the monitoring of diseases and the provision of healthcare. On the flip side, the government must guide Starlink’s access to our healthcare data and the institutional awareness in data management.
The issue above took center stage in the media discussion held by the Data & Democracy Research Hub, Monash University, Indonesia, which was themed "A Snapshot of Healthcare Digitalization and Starlink’s Arrival in Indonesia," held online on Sunday (26/5), and moderated by Bimantoro Kushari, a visiting researcher at the Data & Democracy Research Hub.
Grace Wangge, an Associate Professor at Monash University, Indonesia, in the field of public health, commented that the coming of Starlink may accelerate the healthcare digitalization transformation, especially in monitoring diseases. The internet access provided by Starlink will reach the puskesmas level, which is also obliged to do promotive and preventive services.
With wider and faster internet access, data regarding cases of highly trending diseases will be handily available, thanks to quick reporting on the puskesmas level.
"Our healthcare data has not been well collected and not in real-time; consequently, the decision-makers have not been quick and accurate. For example, in a region in Kalimantan, healthcare providers must take a half-day boat ride to the regency capital to synchronize the data on stunting (EPPBGM) due to the lack of internet access. Obviously, this hampers the needed intervention allocation process," Grace emphasized.
Meanwhile, Arif Perdana, a researcher at the Data & Democracy Research Hub, stated that Starlink has great potential but must be well-managed and guided by the government so it can comply with our regulations on data protection.
"Given the people’s reaction on social media about Starlink’s entrance to Indonesia, there are concerns that our data might become accessible to foreign parties and that the internet access could be used by anti-government organizations. However, those things are not likely, as there are regulations in Indonesia that must be obeyed. For instance, Starlink’s telecommunication devices must first receive e-certifications from the Ministry of Communication and Informatics," said Arif, who is also an Associate Professor in the data science program.
Regarding data transmission, Telkom (AS7713) acts as the internet service provider (ISP) that connects Starlink (AS45700) to the global network. Telkom provides the interconnection that allows data from Starlink to be forwarded to other networks, whether domestic or international. As part of its infrastructure, Telkom runs the routing and ensures that the transmission is efficient and safe. This is a critical role to ensure that Starlink’s internet service is accessible to Indonesian users with the safety and quality standards set by a national regulator. Concerns about predatory pricing by Starlink must not be overstated, as its pricing is currently higher than those of local providers. Operators like XL Axiata and Indosat are even welcoming the presence of Starlink as they see opportunities to cooperate to extend their services, especially to remote areas. Starlink and local operators can collaborate to improve the quality and coverage of internet services. The government must monitor all pricing and business practices to prevent predatory pricing and ensure healthy competition. The right cooperation and strategy can unlock positive synergies without sacrificing local operators.
Grace further elaborated that a survey by researchers at Monash University, Indonesia, regarding the patterns and risks of sharing healthcare data shows that people have not had enough education about the risks that could happen if their healthcare data were digitized and digitalized.
"A survey with 600 respondents in major cities in Java and Makassar shows that the people trust the healthcare institutions with which they share their data. However, they have concerns about data leakage. If the people are given the authorization to withdraw or access their data, their trust in providing data will be higher," Grace expounded.
Healthcare Data Synergy
This year, the government is building a National Data Center in Cikarang, West Java, and it is slated for completion by October 2024. Starlink’s arrival, with promises of better internet service in Indonesia, can actually help the government synergize the data, especially in healthcare.
Arif stated that the presence of Starlink will allow wider access to the National Data Center, thus ensuring the continuity of services if the main network were disrupted, and will allow real-time data gathering and transmission between remote locations and the National Data Center.
Grace added that the internet access will allow guided health monitoring. Nevertheless, the data in disease monitoring is actually connected to other data anyway, such as the weather monitoring from the Indonesian Meteorological, Climatological, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG). Moreover, the Provincial Government of Jakarta and the BMKG have monitored weather trends to see their effects on the increase in mosquito population. Such data coordination and integration between institutions should be encouraged to better anticipate the emergence of endemics.
Ika Idris, co-director at the Data & Democracy Research Hub, stated that private and government collaborations in serving the public must be centered on the public interest. In the end, private and government collaborations must be directed at providing better healthcare services. One of the persistent problems in the implementation of public healthcare lies in the operations, especially regarding adequate skills and integrity in upholding digital ethics to guard the public’s privacy.
About the Data & Democracy Research Hub
The Data & Democracy Research Hub is one of the study centers at Monash University, Indonesia. We have the vision to promote resilient digital deocracies through data. Through data driven research and analysis, we aim to improve digital literacy and the collective awareness of the benefits and harmful of data in democracy, to improve digital democracy, and to influence policies on digital literacy and democracy. The diverse cross-disciplinary backgrounds of our members, such as in data science, cyber security, social science, politics, public policies, and business, provide a wide spectrum of insights and accurate analysis. Please visit our MDDRH page to see our endeavors and the opportunities for future collaborations.
Contact Person:
Riki Rachman Permana | M +6281255201990 | Email riki.permana@monash.edu