Government 'fails' to prioritize health

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

If a province is wealthy enough to allocate Rp 12 billion (US$1.26 billion) for the renovation of its governor's residence, why do its children continue to suffer from malnutrition?

The Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI) highlighted recently the failure of both the central government and local administrations to prioritize health development in their budgetary policies.

"East Nusa Tenggara provincial administration has allocated only Rp 755 million for health yet set aside Rp 12 billion to renovate a gubernatorial facility," YLKI expert on health Ilyani Andang said recently.

She said local budgetary priorities were like an inverted pyramid, where a large sum went on expenses related to higher administration officials, leaving the public with a small amount.

"There should be a standard on how much can be spent on government officials," she added.

East Nusa Tenggara is among several provinces where malnutrition cases have recently been reported. The latest data shows that eight children have died from chronic undernourishment and 141 people have been identified as suffering from malnutrition in the province.

In Indonesia, the YLKI has reported that there are more than 5 million children under the age of five who suffer from malnutrition, an illness that hampers the development of the brain.

Worsening the situation is the government's demand that community health centers contribute to the state coffer, which has lessened their effectiveness to educate communities, prevent disease and reach out to people in remote areas.

"Instead of subsidizing the health centers, local administrations treat them as a source of funding", Ilyani said.

The state government has not placed health development among its top priorities either, allocating 2.5 percent of the nation's gross domestic product this year, or an average of US$2 per person. The figure is lower than that of Vietnam, Myanmar and Sri Lanka.

Local budgeting has not helped conditions, as with regional autonomy, local administrations have set aside only 0.5 percent to 4 percent of the local budget for health, or less than $1 per person.

"Treatment costs far outweigh the costs of prevention," she said, pointing out that according to a study by the United Nations Children's Fund the inadequate nutrition of pregnant women and children causes an annual loss to the state of more than Rp 40 trillion.