Health services still inferior for poor<\/p>\n
Slamet Susanto, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
Low income people are not getting the free medical care they are
\nentitled to despite having health cards, prompting an angry
\nresponse from the Minister of Health.<\/p>\n
Subarjo, 55, a resident of Bantul, Yogyakarta, on Tuesday
\ncomplained after he was charged Rp 240,000 (US$24) when he sought
\nmedical treatment in the third class ward at the Wirosaban State
\nHospital.<\/p>\n
He was eventually exempted from the payment but only after
\nhealth minister Siti Fadilah Supari intervened. The minister, who
\nwas visiting the hospital unannounced, was angry with the
\nhospital staff and asked them to return the money to Subarjo.<\/p>\n
\"Health card holders deserve free medical care. Return the
\nmoney,\" Siti told staff.<\/p>\n
The doctor who treated Subarjo was also reprimanded.<\/p>\n
\"As a doctor I can only examine patients and prescribe drugs
\nto them. Whether the patients will have to pay for the medicines
\nor not is not my business,\" the doctor said afterwards.<\/p>\n
The government has disbursed Rp 3.78 trillion for health care
\nfor the poor as part of assistance funds for low-income families
\nacross the country, following the government's decision to raise
\nfuel prices next month.<\/p>\n
Low income people, who earn less than US$1 a day, or around Rp
\n11,100, are entitled to health cards, and have to produce it when
\nthey seek medical treatment.<\/p>\n
Hospital staff said Subarjo had to pay for the prescribed
\ndrugs as they were not on the list of free drugs issued by the
\ngovernment and the state health insurance company PT Askes.<\/p>\n
However, Siti insisted that the hospital could not charge a
\npoor patient for any reason. \"Whether the drugs are on the list
\nor not, the poor must get free health care.\"<\/p>\n
A relieved Subarjo said: \"Thank God, now I can use the money
\nto buy rice.\"<\/p>\n
At her next stop at a community health center in Umbulharjo
\ndistrict, Yogyakarta, Siti found an internal regulation that
\nrequired poor people to seek approval from the district
\nadministration and the local social services agency in order to
\nobtain health cards.<\/p>\n
The government only requires the poor to register with their
\nsubdistrict office to obtain the cards.<\/p>\n
\"How come sick people are asked to go to a district
\nadministration office and the social service agency? Their
\nillnesses may worsen,\" Siti said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/health-services-still-inferior-for-poor-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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