Health centers to reduce fees

PURWOKERTO, Central Java: Thirty community health centers here have decided to reduce their consultation fees to previous rates, after being deserted by patients following a 600 percent fee hike in January.

Head of the Banyumas regency health office, Mambodiyanto, told The Jakarta Post that the decision was taken because health centers here had found that the higher fees discouraged people from visiting the centers.

He said the number of visitors dropped from an average of 30 to just between five and 10 per day after the consultation fee was raised last January from Rp 300 to Rp 2,500. (45)