Alwi forbids clinics from charging

Alwi forbids clinics from charging

BANDUNG: Following the disbursement of health funds saved from
the fuel subsidy cuts, community health centers would no longer
be allowed to charge people for treatment, a minister says.

Coordinating Minister for the People's Welfare Alwi Shihab
said the government had allocated Rp 3.78 trillion (US$389
million) of the total money saved to provide free health care for
the poor.

Many people have been charged medical fees when visiting
health centers because they could not produce letters from their
village chiefs stating their economic status.

Under the scheme, the government pays Rp 5,000 in monthly
heath insurance premiums for 20 million poor families. The
government will also pay transportation allowances for health
workers.

Alwi said the compensation funds would be directly channeled
to the health centers. -- JP