Free medical bill for poor

TANGERANG (JP): The Tangerang regency has decided to provide medical services to poor residents of the city at 39 public health centers, an official said on Tuesday.

The regency's spokesman, Slamet Putranto, said that the medical services would be given to 129,332 families in the city.

"They will be given cards to enable them to avail themselves of free services at the public health centers," Slamet said, adding that the services were being financed by means of a fund amounting to Rp 1.29 billion from the central government.

He said the provision of the free services would be jointly managed by the regency's health office and the Rereongan Sarupi Berhasil foundation.

Tangerang Regent Agus Djunara hoped that the program would become a kind of medical insurance for the poor, he said. (41/jun)