Government 'fails' to prioritize health
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.