Fuel subsidy benefits well-to-do residents<\/p>\n
Oyos Saroso H.N., The Jakarta Post, Bandarlampung<\/p>\n
Agus Sahlan, 30, a resident of Sribawono, East Lampung, was
\nfrustrated trying to arrange for his two nephews to receive free
\ntreatment at a hospital in Bandarlampung.<\/p>\n
In the end, Agus had to pay in full for the boys' hospital
\nstay, even though Lampung Governor Sjachroedin Z.P. earlier said
\nthe state would cover the medical bills of all poor residents
\nseeking treatment for dengue fever or malaria, including those
\ntreated at private hospitals.<\/p>\n
Despite this promise, there are numerous people being treated
\nat hospitals in Bandarlampung who qualify for free treatment but
\nare still being required to pay for care.<\/p>\n
In many cases, this is because patients have not received the
\nregistered cards (gakin) that they must present to receive free
\nmedical care.<\/p>\n
While many poor people are not getting free care, some
\nrelatively wealthy families have used gakin to get free medical
\ntreatment.<\/p>\n
An employee at Kalianda hospital said that many people who
\ncould afford health care were using gakin to avoid paying their
\nhospital bills.<\/p>\n
The head of Kalianda Hospital, Dr. Yudha Putra, said it did
\nnot matter if a wealthy family used the card, as long as it
\nwas certified before the patient was admitted to the hospital.<\/p>\n
According to data from the Lampung Bureau of Statistics,
\n432,000 families, or 2,381,585 people, in Lampung's 10 regencies
\nand mayoralties were officially listed as poor. There are 56,530
\npoor families in Tanggamus, 15,349 in Way Kanan, 3,197 in Metro,
\n26,790 in Bandarlampung, 36,244 in North Lampung, 87,035 in South
\nLampung, 58,072 in East Lampung, 106,856 in Tulangbawang and
\n41,941 in Central Lampung.<\/p>\n
Data from Lampung's National Family Planning Board shows there
\nare 285,481 households, or 1.7 million people, in the province in
\nneed of free medical care.<\/p>\n
\"If there are an average of 3.5 people in a family, then the
\nnumber of poor people who need free medical care totals 1,699,184
\npeople,\" said Rosmalia Helmi, an official from the Lampung Health
\nOffice.<\/p>\n
The 2005 provincial budget, under its Medical Care for Poor
\nPeople program, allocates funds to provide free health care for
\n1,561,717 people.<\/p>\n
The mayoralties and regencies will have to allocate funds from
\ntheir budgets to provide health care for those people not covered
\nin the provincial budget.<\/p>\n
\"There are still 137,467 poor families in Lampung in need of
\nfree medical care from the government,\" Rosmalia said.<\/p>\n
The Medical Care for Poor People program will cover 1,561,717
\npeople in 10 mayoralties and regencies in Lampung. These are
\nWest Lampung with 82,693 people, Tanggamus (173,970), South
\nLampung (340,900), East Lampung (257,189), Central Lampung
\n(210,582), North Lampung (188,950), Way Kanan (112,257),
\nTulangbawang (126,257), Bandarlampung (58,935) and Metro
\n(10,725).<\/p>\n
About Rp 101.9 billion will be needed to provide 1,699,184
\npeople with free medical care, but only Rp 93.7 billion has been
\nallocated from the provincial budget.<\/p>\n
Rosmalia said the Lampung provincial administration would
\nprovide an additional Rp 7.5 billion, while the remaining Rp 2.8
\nbillion would come from local administrations.<\/p>\n
The East Lampung regency is expected to provide Rp 860
\nmillion, North Lampung Rp 570 million, Tulangbawang and Way Kanan
\nRp 500 million each, Tanggamus Rp 350 million and West Lampung Rp
\n65.1 million. There is no word on how much Bandarlampung, Metro,
\nSouth Lampung and Central Lampung will be providing.<\/p>\n
The executive director of the Lampung Anti-Corruption
\nCommittee, Maya Ferlianti, said differences in data on the number
\nof poor made it more likely that funds would be misused.<\/p>\n
\"In our experience, differences in data make it easier for the
\nmisappropriation of funds.<\/p>\n
\"Corrupt officials usually use the data that shows the most
\nnumber of aid recipients, while most of the funds never reach
\nthose the money was intended for,\" Maya said.<\/p>\n
In line with a ministerial decree on health care for the poor,
\nthe funds for the provincial health care program have been handed
\nover to PT Asuransi Kesehatan to guarantee that those in need
\nreceive free medical care.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/fuel-subsidy-benefits-well-to-do-residents-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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