Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Director of the National Healthcare and Social Security Agency (BPJS Health) Ali Ghufron Mukti has emphasized the importance of optimizing the National Health Insurance program (JKN) as a strategic program for providing social protection.

"The JKN program is one of the social protection programs," he said during a public discussion themed “Various Problems of Health Funding Sources in the Regions” in Jakarta on Thursday.

The 2020–2024 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) is targeting to extend social protection or Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to 98 percent of the population, he noted.

"To realize this target, the government has issued Presidential Instruction Number 1 of 2022, which regulates the optimization of the implementation of the JKN program," he disclosed.

The instruction encourages all stakeholders, especially ministries/agencies and including local governments to work together to optimize the JKN program, Mukti noted.

"The President instructed 30 ministries/institutions and local governments to take steps to optimize the JKN program," he added.

Some time ago, awards were also given to local governments that had achieved UHC, he added.

"However, we must realize that besides the community's participation in the JKN program, they must utilize it optimally," he remarked.

In order for the public to utilize the JKN program, the government must prepare funds to build health infrastructure and prepare health workers (doctors, nurses, and others), health devices, and provide equal access to health services, Mukti said.

These efforts are challenges that must be overcome by local governments, including by separating public health efforts (UKM) and individual health efforts (UKP), he added.

"For example, health promotion and prevention activities or promotive preventive activities that are included in UKM are the task of the Health Service or the Ministry of Health, while the UKP lies under BPJS Health's responsibility," he explained.

UHC is a health concept wherein people can access quality health services, both public and individual health services, according to their needs without being constrained by costs.

Related news: East Java government to help with JKN fee to achieve UHC
Related news: BPJS Kesehatan asks recipients of UHC Awards to maintain achievement









Translator: Wuryanti Puspitasari, Resinta S
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2023