Medan, N Sumatra (ANTARA News) - The government has paid the National Health Insurance (JKN) premiums for 92.4 million low-income people as part of efforts to support the social insurance program launched in 2014, an official said.

The figure accounts for 36.2 percent of the Indonesian population who receive contribution assistance, the deputy for health promotion coordination at the coordinating ministry for human development and culture, Sigit Priohutomo, said on Saturday.

"The government is strongly committed to supporting the JKN program by, among others, allocating 5 percent of the state budget funds for the health sector since 2016 and at least 10 percent of regional budget for it," he said.

The 92.4 million people are part of 174 million Indonesians who have become JKN participants, he said.

The success to reach 66.7 percent of the Indonesian population to take part in the JKN program was inseparable from all sides supports, he said.

"The main principle of the JKN program is mutual help. We must help our brothers who are ill. Hence, participation and continued premium contribution payments are a key to success of the program," he said.

He expressed the hope that the entire Indonesian citizens would soon join the JKN program by registering themselves as Healthcare and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) participants without having to wait until they are ill.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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