This has been outlined in Presidential Instruction (Inpres) Number 5 of 2022 concerning increasing access to health services for pregnant women, during maternity and postpartum, and for mothers of newborns through the Maternity Guarantee Program.
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The regulation, which took effect on July 12, 2021, guarantees access to delivery services at health facilities for pregnant women, especially those from poor families who have not joined the National Health Insurance (JKN) program.
"Birth assurance (Jampersal) can reduce the risk of maternal and child mortality in two ways, namely bringing closer access to mothers who need health services and improving the quality of maternal and neonatal health services," KSP’s main expert staff, Brian Sri Prahastuti, said in a press statement received here on Monday.
Jampersal can also reduce the financial burden on maternal health services and finance qualified services from health workers, she informed.
Some concrete examples of this include the provision of transportation costs, food and drinks, and Birth Waiting Houses.
The Inter-Census Population Survey (SUPAS) in 2015 showed that the maternal mortality rate (MMR) in Indonesia was still relatively high at 305 per 100 thousand live births. The figure was higher than other countries with the same socioeconomic level.
According to Prahastuti, maternal deaths occur due to maternal complications, including delay in receiving maternal health referral services.
One of the reasons for this is unequal access to health facilities and health services throughout Indonesia. In addition, the biggest obstacle to the accessibility of health services is financing.
The Jampersal Program was actually launched in 2011 in response to the high maternal mortality rate, Prahastuti noted. The program helped increase the coverage of deliveries by health workers at health facilities by about 2.6–3.0 times.
Through the latest Presidential Instruction, the Jampersal program will be synergized with the JKN and BPJS Health programs. President Joko Widodo has also instructed several ministries and agencies to oversee the program, besides the Health Ministry.
The KSP has also accelerated the implementation of Jampersal as part of the government's efforts to reduce maternal mortality and stunting. It is actively encouraging educational programs, improving reproductive health services, and increasing health referrals.
"KSP is ready to continue to oversee the implementation of the President's instructions regarding Jampersal as a step towards achieving Universal Health Coverage to protect Indonesian mothers and children with the best health services," she remarked.
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Translator: Rangga Pandu A J, Resinta S
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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