Jakarta, Oct. 3 -- Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin announced that Maluku Province has successfully performed its first-ever heart bypass operation, marking a historic milestone in cardiovascular care for eastern Indonesia.

"After 80 years of Indonesian independence, Maluku can finally conduct its first heart bypass operation. This is not just about facilities, but about saving lives and ensuring fair healthcare for all Indonesians," Sadikin said in a statement received in Jakarta on Friday.

The minister, who attended the procedure at Johannes Leimena Hospital in Ambon, praised the medical team, regional government, and hospital for making the breakthrough possible.

He stressed that patients from eastern provinces have long struggle...