Minister launches health plan

Minister launches health plan

JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare
launched on Wednesday a US$79.07 million pilot project aimed at
facilitating the decentralization of health services in
anticipation of the implementation of regional autonomy next
year.

The project is being held in two provinces -- Lampung and
Yogyakarta.

"The two provinces were picked because they are quite ready to
run the decentralization scheme in the health sector," Minister
of Health and Social welfare Achmad Sujudi said.

The project will entail, among other things, the further
unification of the ministry of health offices and health agencies
both at the provincial and regency levels, the implementation of
career policies, and public accountability in the provision of
services.

"We also will concentrate on providing adequate health
services for destitute people along with extending the use of
health insurance," Achmad added.

The project is divided into two stages; a trial period which
runs until December 2001 and the implementation period which is
slated to run from January 2002 to December 2005.

From the total cost of $79.07 million, $38 million is being
provided through a soft loan from the International Development
Association (IDA).

"We expect the rest of the funds to come from the state budget
and other grants and loans," Achmad said.

According to the ministry's secretary general, who is also the
program chief, E. Sutarto, the pilot project will be conducted in
all regencies of Yogyakarta and Lampung.

However, neither Sutarto nor Achmad would elaborate on when
the project would be implemented in other provinces or how much
the project would cost.(edt)