"The most important thing is that we will bring health access closer to the people, especially the poorer and those living in remote areas," Health Minister Endang Rahayu said here Monday after installing new officials at her ministry.
She said the health services would of course have to meet good quality standards and be given more health staff and linked to better reference channels.
Health services in 2011 would be different from those provided in 2010 whereas this year the services will be more preventive in nature, unlike last year when services had been provided in hospitals.
"In 2010 we gave priority to cases that couldn`t wait, namely treatment of sick people and we increased basic hospital services, and the principle that hospitals may not refuse to admit patients for any reason. Now, we begin with something more down-stream by (implementing) preventive programs," she said.
Apart from giving health services at health posts, Rahayu added that Ministry of Health will boost the role of public-based health services by involving public participations such as implemented at the Village Ready (Desa Siaga) and Integrated Service Centers (Posyandu).
Also, Minister Rahayu ensured that free-of-charge maternal services was started in January 2011, a program linked to the public health service (Jamkesmas) program. The broad outline of the program is being prepared as well as the required fund allocations.
"What`s rather complicated is that how to distribute the fund. This is a part of the Jamkesmas, whether the fund could be disbursed through puskesmas, the most possibly it will be transferred to the regency governments," she revealed.
The free maternal service will be given in the form of package, starting from inspections during pregnancy, birth process, post-natal check-ups and also birth control provision because the free service will be provided only for limited number of children.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
