Surabaya - Post Report Question and Answers
Are there any particular health concerns? What is the quality of available medical care? What medical conditions typically require medical evacuation?
You may get food poisoning. You will get diarrhea, not infrequently. Nasty colds are frequent. Malaria and other mosquito-born diseases are not high risk in Surabaya but are elsewhere in Indonesia. Check with MED for the latest on Zika. Dentistry is limited, and decent medical care is extremely limited. Almost everything, including broken bones, are medically evacuated to Singapore. There is a local-hire general practitioner at post, and the embassy Medical Officer usually visits post a few times a year. Mental health type doctors occasionally visit as well. - Nov 2018
Almost all procedures are recommended to be done in Singapore - Oct 2015
Health care is not up to Western standards. Most expats carry medevac insurance and go to Singapore for all non-routine care. There is a modern hospital with decent doctors near the Consulate, but it is not staffed by highly-trained technicians. Lab results are frequently misread, diagnostic imagery misinterpreted, and simple procedures done incorrectly. - Apr 2015
Typical tropical diseases to contend with: typoid, malaria (in other parts of Indonesia), yellow fever, and the like. During the rainy season, as Java is the most poulous place on earth, sore throats and flus spread easily. A case of "Bali belly" will probably occur if you're not used to SE Asia (mild food poisoning, diarrhea). Singapore is your destination for anything serious. - Oct 2012
Medical care is available but a bit sketchy. If you have a serious issue, you should fly to Singapore or Jakarta. - May 2012
For serious medical problems people go to Singapore or Bangkok. Indonesian health care is OK for routine needs in the larger cities, but almost non-existent elsewhere. You can find modern dental care in Surabaya. - Oct 2010
Medical care is adequate, not stellar. Serious things require a trip to Singapore. English speaking doctors are available. - Aug 2009
