JAYAPURA — The Papua Provincial Government has inaugurated a Hearing Center at Dok II Regional Hospital in Jayapura as part of efforts to strengthen specialist healthcare services in the region. The inauguration was led by Papua Governor Matius D. Fakhiri, along with the handover of hearing aids to residents, on Thursday, January 8, 2026.

Governor Fakhiri said the Hearing Center was established to address the community's need for more focused and higher-quality treatment of hearing disorders. He noted that hearing impairment has wide-ranging impacts, affecting not only communication abilities but also productivity and children's growth and development.

"Hearing disorders have a major impact on quality of life. That is why this Hearing Center service is an answer to the needs of the community, especially children as the future generation of Papua," Fakhiri said.

He stressed that the presence of the service is in line with the Healthy Papua mission, which places access to quality, equitable, and sustainable healthcare services as a priority. The Hearing Center at Dok II Regional Hospital is also expected to become a referral center for regencies and municipalities across Papua, and even for the eastern Indonesia region.

"This is a service not owned by every hospital. Going forward, Jayapura Regional Hospital must become a showcase for healthcare services in eastern Indonesia," he said.

On the same occasion, the Commander of Joint Regional Defense Command (Kogabwilhan) III, Lieutenant General Bambang Trisnohadi, also distributed hearing aids as part of the commemoration of National Deaf Day. He said that based on data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), around 6 to 7 out of every 1,000 people in Papua experience hearing disorders of varying severity.

"Hearing disorders often limit access to education, employment, and public services. That is why early detection and prompt treatment are very important, especially for children," Bambang said.

He added that in the initial phase, 18 residents from Jayapura Regency and Keerom Regency received hearing aids after undergoing audiometry examinations at Jayapura Regional Hospital. The service is expected to continue expanding so it can reach communities in remote inland and mountainous areas. ***