"We will seek a solution to this issue," he said in Jakarta on Thursday.
Iskandar said the difficulties hospitals face in handling online gambling victims are related to filing claims with the national health insurer, BPJS Kesehatan.
He explained that several hospitals have treated victims suffering from physical and psychological disorders caused by online gambling addiction. However, treatment claims have not been processed by BPJS Kesehatan.
Although some people have been identified as victims of non-drug addictions like online gambling, this category is not yet covered by BPJS Kesehatan claims, he pointed out.
This has caused hospitals to face difficulties in handling victims, as BPJS Kesehatan claims only cover drug addiction and certain psychological disorders.
"Non-drug addiction related to online gambling victims is not yet included in health insurance coverage. Thus, we will coordinate on this matter," Iskandar said.
He noted that the assistance program for online gambling victims has not yet been officially implemented and expressed hope that it would not add to BPJS Kesehatan's burden.
Iskandar said that online gambling is not merely a social problem but also has the potential to create new poverty in Indonesia. It has also hindered the government's efforts to reduce poverty, especially in tackling extreme poverty.
Wahyudi Djafar, executive director of the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM), advised the government to rehabilitate citizens addicted to online gambling to prevent them from falling into the habit again.
He noted that rehabilitation is one of the key efforts to combat online gambling, alongside blocking websites.
Cipto Mangunkusumo National General Hospital (RSCM) in Jakarta reported that 172 patients received treatment for online gambling addiction this year.
Of these, 126 received outpatient care, while the remaining 46 required hospitalization due to addiction.
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Translator: Asep Firmansyah, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Anton Santoso
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