Jakarta, Dec 28 (IANS): Construction of the Bali International Hospital has been officially started to make the resort island a global medical tourism destination, announced Indonesian President Joko Widodo.

Widodo on Monday said the construction of this hospital is the first step to developing a health tourism park with an area of 41.5 hectare integrated with hotels, a botanical garden, as well as a medical training and research center, Xinhua news agency reported.

"We hope that Bali will become a medical tourism destination," and bring more people to come to Bali, the Indonesian President added, during the groundbreaking activity broadcast through YouTube.

Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy, Sandiaga Uno said earlier that Indonesia also targets Medan on Sumatra island and the capital city of Jakarta on Java island to be global medical tourism destinations, but the first step is to target domestic consumers and bring back Indonesians who are accustomed to going abroad for medical treatment.

Widodo said the country lost $6.8 billion in 2019, with up to 2 million Indonesian people, the largest number in Southeast Asia, going abroad for medical treatment.

Minister of State-owned Enterprises, Erick Thohir said the development of the new tourist destination on the resort island, which is expected to be completed in mid-2023, also aims to provide health services for personnel of foreign companies investing in Indonesia.