Health 2023 in North Sumatra — chart by AsiaDailyPost — Layanan ini menggunakan API Badan Pusat Statistik. This service uses the Central Statistics Agency API. From Indonesia.

When a fever hits, many North Sumatrans reach for leftover antibiotics or a traditional jamu rather than queue at a community health center. The numbers from the province's 2023 socio-economic survey (Susenas) reveal just how widespread that habit is — and pose an unexpected question for public health officials.

What's the single biggest reason people stay away from clinics?

Self-treatment — "mengobati sendiri" — dominates in every single regency and city across North Sumatra. In Sibolga, 87.5% of residents who reported a health complaint but skipped outpatient care listed self-medication as the main reason. The pattern holds strongly in Nias (84.7%) and Tanjungbalai (82.7%), as well as in more urbanised Medan, where self-treatment still accounted for over half of non-visits.

Isn't it just a lack of money or transport?

Surprisingly, cost and accessibility barely crack the ranking. No more than 4.4% of non-seeking respondents in any area cited affordability of care itself, and transport costs or lack of vehicles registered below 3% everywhere. Even "long waiting time" as a barrier peaked at just 5.4% in Tapanuli Utara. The data suggests that the obstacles are less about logistics and more about perception.

Which areas buck the self-treatment trend?

While self-care remains the top reason in every district, the mix behind it shifts. In the fertile Karo highlands (Karo), self-treatment accounts for just 33.9%, while 64.7% of non-visitors say they simply felt it was unnecessary. A similar pattern shows up in Dairi (45.6% self-treatment, 53.4% felt unnecessary) and Pakpak Bharat (68.4% self-treatment, 30.3% felt unnecessary) — places where the perceived need for formal care is especially low. In fact, the "felt unnecessary" category is the second-largest reason province-wide.

Sibolga, Nias, and Tanjungbalai exceed 82% self-treatment, leaving little room for any other explanation.
In 29 of the province's 33 regencies and cities, self-treatment is the single largest reason for avoiding outpatient care.
No districts reported zero for self-treatment; the lowest was still a substantial 33.3% in Padang Lawas Utara.

As North Sumatra rolls out universal health coverage, the 2023 figures raise a sobering question: if people can afford care and reach a clinic without hardship, what — other than a cultural shift — will actually get them through the door? The answer may matter more than any co-pay policy.

Source: Indonesian Central Statistics Agency (BPS) — Web API · Wednesday, 1 July 2026, 21:05

#Distribusi Percentage Of Population Yang Mempunyai Keluhan Health Selama Semonth Terakhir And Tidak Berobat Jalan By Regency City And Alasan Utama Tidak Berobat Jalan In Province Sumatera Utara

Why Ill North Sumatrans Prefer Self-Treatment Over Clinics