Some vulnerable groups that are still not getting enough attention include indigenous peoples or remote indigenous communities, people with HIV/AIDS, and migrant workers.Depok, West Java (ANTARA) - It is necessary to strengthen political priority for developing health policies for vulnerable groups as disparities still exist in Indonesia's health services, a public health professor at the University of Indonesia (UI) Dumilah Ayuningtyas said.
"Strengthening political priority for developing health policies for vulnerable groups needs to be done because it can force policymakers to increase political will in achieving their political goals," she explained here on Friday.
She said this aligns with the main target of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, which are themed “Leave No One Behind.”
The COVID-19 pandemic is proof of how political priority can help turn a chaotic situation into an achievement, she added.
She then outlined the "Predictive Model of Strengthening Political Priority in Health Policy Development" that has been adapted to conditions in Indonesia.
"The complexity of Indonesia's dynamic situation makes it impossible to depict the health policy development by only referring to the existing standard framework or model," she explained.
Instead, health policy development in the country needs contextualization adjustment from the previous framework to analyze and understand the situation, she said.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), vulnerable groups include the homeless, people living in unliveable homes, migrant workers, people with disabilities, people living in remote areas, people living in poverty, people affected by the digital divide, and other vulnerable persons, she added.
She said these persons who are considered vulnerable have not had their health rights fulfilled.
In addition, the definition of vulnerable groups according to Law No. 39 of 1999 is still limited to certain groups and needs to be updated, she said.
"Some vulnerable groups that are still not getting enough attention include indigenous peoples or remote indigenous communities, people with HIV/AIDS, and migrant workers," she pointed out.
At the end of her presentation, she read a poem narrating how strengthening the political priority of health policy development would be meaningful to the community, especially vulnerable groups.
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Translator: Feru L, Kenzu
Editor: Sri Haryati
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