Deputy Health Minister: Jember's Homecare Programme Deserves to be a National Model
Jember, East Java (ANTARA) - Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus Octavianus said the Homecare programme in Jember Regency deserves to become a national model, as the district is considered the first to implement such an initiative.
“I give my highest appreciation to the Homecare programme initiated by the Jember Regency Government,” he said while accompanying the Jember Regent to launch the Homecare programme at the Sumberbaru Community Health Centre on Friday.
According to him, the proactive, door-to-door healthcare service is regarded as a bold breakthrough with the potential to serve as an example for other regencies and cities across Indonesia.
Jember Regency is extremely large, six times the size of DKI Jakarta, posing a particular challenge for public access to healthcare.
“We are very impressed by the Homecare programme because it is a new breakthrough. In Indonesia, healthcare is considered good if the location is nearby,” he said.
He noted that Jember Regency covers a very wide area, and many residents cannot afford transport to health facilities even though they are covered by Universal Health Coverage (UHC). This prompted the Regent to create the Homecare breakthrough, collecting underprivileged residents and visiting those who are ill.
As a sign of full support, the Deputy Health Minister plans to invite the Jember Regent and officials from the Health Office to Jakarta within the next two to three months. The meeting aims to review the technical implementation, supporting requirements and budgetary formula so that this service model can be applied nationally as a pilot.
Among the key points highlighted by the Deputy Health Minister regarding the implementation of Homecare in Jember is that all Homecare operations, including fuel costs for the pick-up fleet, are currently fully funded by the Jember Regency regional budget.
“The Health Ministry is committed to helping provide medicine supplies and supporting medical equipment for Homecare officers in the field,” he said.
He said the service model is considered highly suitable for large regions with limited transport access and high medical travel costs for underprivileged residents.
Meanwhile, Jember Regent Muhammad Fawait said the Homecare programme initiative was introduced to ensure that all levels of society, particularly pre-prosperous residents, receive basic medical services free of charge without being hindered by distance or cost.