Dengue funds not forthcoming for health center upgrades

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The city is to upgrade 40 district-level public health centers to accommodate dengue fever patients to solve overcrowding at 16 hospitals allocated to treat the disease.

"The administration issued the instruction (for the upgrade) last week, but when I checked this morning, it had yet to be implemented. The health centers are still waiting for funds from the city secretary," Deputy Governor Fauzi Bowo said on Monday.

Fauzi said the new centers would enable dengue patients to get medical treatment closer to home.

The Jakarta Health Agency had asked the Ministry of Health to provide extra medical staff to work at the health centers, he said.

"At least, 200 doctors and nurses are needed. Five to six people will be assigned at each center."

Latest figures from the agency say the number of dengue fever patients has reached about 8,300 citywide since the beginning of January, with 62 dying from the disease.

Councillor Syamsidar Siregar of Commission E overseeing the people's welfare had recommended the administration upgrade the health centers after observing the overcrowding in hospitals.

"The upgrade will be financed with the city budget's additional expenses account," she said. She did not mention what amount would be allocated.

The city has disbursed operational funds of between Rp 200 million (US$23,809) and Rp 300 million to each district-level health center for preventive measures to curb the outbreak.

The commission also proposed a new health bylaw to ensure poor people gained access to government health services.

"The agency has not followed up our recommendations (about the new bylaw) until today. It said it was still unable to provide experts to draft the law," Syamsidar said.

Hospitals are obliged to cover poor people's medical expenses before they claim money from the agency.