Jakarta, Aug. 28 -- The Health Ministry is partnering with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) to ensure that some 300-500 hospital-based specialist education programs meet international standards.

President Prabowo Subianto has called for the establishment of 500 such programs.

While the target is ambitious, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin here on Wednesday affirmed his commitment, citing the collaboration with ACGME as a key step.

To meet national demand, access to specialist education is being expanded, with a goal of producing 10,000 specialists annually-eventually increasing to 20,000, Sadikin said.

"This year, I expect programs for seven core specializations, plus neurology and cardiology, to be ...