BPJS Health to Cover Complaints from MBG Unless Deemed an Extraordinary Event

Jakarta (ANTARA) - BPJS Kesehatan states that it will cover complaints from participants in the National Health Insurance (JKN) due to food safety incidents in the Free Nutritious Meals Programme (MBG), as long as they are not an Extraordinary Event (KLB).

“Whenever there is a complaint felt by JKN participants who happen to receive benefits in the form of food and then fall ill, we will still serve them through JKN as long as no KLB occurs,” said the CEO of BPJS Kesehatan, Prihati Pujowaskito, in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Pujowaskito explained that if a KLB occurs and the local government declares it as such, the financing will be borne by them.

“Indeed, extraordinary events that occur anywhere can be covered by JKN, but because the process might take some time, usually we cover it first from BGN itself, from the financial sector covering it first, then there will be a separate meeting with BPJS Kesehatan to calculate the costs of the KLB,” he said.

He stated that from the beneficiary side, the MBG Programme has reached 61.79 million people, consisting of 49.58 million students and 12.21 million non-students (from the groups of pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers/3B), which is the main part of the priority programme to reduce stunting rates.

Gunalan hopes that cooperation with BPJS Kesehatan can realise an improvement in the nutritional quality of Indonesian society.

“We believe that the success of the nutrition development programme cannot be done sectorally; strong, integrated, and sustainable cooperation is needed,” said Gunalan.