"Madame Lagarde was amazed. She also stated that Indonesia may be the only country in the world, with such large population, where the government covers the health insurance of the citizens. There are other countries that implemented similar systems, but they are significantly smaller in terms of population," Jokowi stated at the Delta Silicon industry area, Cikarang, West Java on Tuesday.
On Monday (Feb 26), the president invited Lagarde to visit Pertamina Central Hospital in Kebayoran Baru, Jakarta, and shared information on Indonesia`s National Health Insurance system, under the name of BPJS and the Indonesian Health Card (KIS).
"Even in the United States, which is recorded to have 300 million citizens, making it the third largest population in the world, they apply a capitalist system, in which the government does not provide a universal health care. Madame Lagarde was very interested in the government`s health care program, which has reached 193.2 million of our citizens, with 92.4 million getting health care free of charge," he noted.
During the meeting, Jokowi and Lagarde had a rather extensive talk on universal health care.
"Health care used to be seen as a luxury, something that is not affordable, but now it has become a basic and universal right for everyone. That is what we call a mental revolution, a change in tradition at its very basic level," he remarked.
He believed that the impact could drive the confidence in investors who are looking to invest in Indonesia.
"Indonesia`s market is very vast, and the economic growth is very consistent, accompanied by the rapid increase in our middle class and the government policy, which states that health and medicine are the fundamental rights of every citizen of Indonesia. Therefore, the demand and market for products from the pharmaceutical industry would be guaranteed, "he reiterated.
Reported by Desca Lidya Natalia
(UU.KR-ARC/A/KR-BSR/B003)
Reporter: antara
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
