Eid Holiday Closure of Community Health Centres Poses Challenge for Bandung Residents' Access to Healthcare

Bandung (ANTARA) - The Eid al-Fitr 1447 Hijri holiday, with the government designating joint leave from 18-24 March 2026 and work-from-home (WFH) arrangements, presents a particular challenge for residents in Bandung and surrounding areas in accessing healthcare, as puskesmas also close.

One individual facing this difficulty is R (38), a resident of Cihanjuang in West Bandung Regency (KBB), who struggled to find an open puskesmas as a primary healthcare facility (under the BPJS Kesehatan system), either in KBB or even in Bandung City, to treat her daughter who had chickenpox.

“My ID card is still registered in Bandung City, and my child’s primary facility is Puskesmas Sarijadi, which is not far from home, but when I tried to seek treatment for my daughter’s chickenpox, the puskesmas was closed with the gate shut. Then I went to Puskesmas Ciwaruga in KBB, but it was also closed,” R told ANTARA in Bandung on Sunday.

R explained that, feeling all puskesmas were likely closed, she decided to take her child to a private clinic despite the slightly higher cost.

ANTARA’s investigation at the sites confirmed that Puskesmas Ciwaruga in KBB and Puskesmas Sarijadi in Bandung City were indeed closed with gates locked.

At Puskesmas Sarijadi, a security officer stated that the facility was on holiday following the government’s joint leave designation.

Meeting at Gedung Sate, West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi stressed that puskesmas, as the backbone of the public health system, should remain open and provide services to the community, even during the Eid mudik period like in 2026.

Although puskesmas policy falls under the authority of city and regency governments, Dedi said he had instructed regents and mayors to ensure puskesmas continue providing services.

If any are found closed and residents face difficulties due to closures, Dedi assured attention would be given, including reprimands to the responsible parties.

“Puskesmas must remain open. The authority lies with regents and mayors, but I have conveyed to them to continue service activities. If residents report to the province, we will issue reprimands and reinforcements as needed,” Dedi said.

Meanwhile, Head of the West Java Health Department, Raden Vini Adiani Dewi, explained that instructions on the health system, including puskesmas operations during the Eid mudik period, are issued annually directly from the Ministry of Health, implemented by the province, cities, and regencies.

In general, she continued, puskesmas must operate during the Eid mudik period.

However, Vini also clarified that puskesmas operational requirements primarily apply to those on mudik and tourist routes, while others may not, considering that health posts along mudik routes are operated by puskesmas staff.

“So yes, they must open, but it depends on the puskesmas location—those on main mudik and tourist routes must, along with health posts as per regulations. For areas not on main mudik and tourist routes, residents may have to turn to other facilities, such as private ones,” Vini said.