Ministry of Social Affairs Uses Inmate Data for PBI JKN Participants

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Social Affairs, together with the Central Statistics Agency, is carrying out a thorough verification of the socio-economic conditions of inmates or correctional facility residents to enable them to become participants in the BPJS Health segmentation for premium assistance recipients of the national health insurance (PBI JKN).

“The data will be coordinated with BPS for the verification process and decile checking of the residents. Insha Allah, this information will be promptly followed up to provide protection for them,” said Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf in his statement confirmed in Jakarta on Friday.

This is part of the service commitment and the response from Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf to the proposal from DPR Commission XIII member Rieke Diah Pitaloka and the Head of the Special Health Care and Rehabilitation Working Group of the Directorate General of Corrections (Ditjenpas), Dr Hetty Widiastuti, during a meeting at the Ministry of Social Affairs office.

According to Saifullah, inmates are included in one of the 12 vulnerable groups or Social Welfare Service Needs (PPKS) that will be prioritised to receive social security rights as mandated by Article 34 of the 1945 Constitution.

Based on data reported by the Ministry of Social Affairs from the results of that meeting, it is known that out of a total of 275,513 residents throughout Indonesia, only 112,882 people have been recorded as participants in PBI.

Therefore, according to Saifullah, accurate verification of the prospective beneficiaries’ conditions is needed based on the National Single Socio-Economic Database (DTSEN) so that the assistance programmes provided can be more integrated, directed, and sustainable.

“The nature of social assistance is temporary, so that they can rise to become independent families. So anyone who meets the criteria can receive social assistance as protection. For those who are healthy and productive, they will be directed towards social empowerment such as business assistance, training, to market creation,” he said.

Meanwhile, Rieke Diah Pitaloka added that social security is a right for correctional residents and the state is obliged to fulfil it.

For that reason, she invited various stakeholders, including the Ministry of Social Affairs, to collaborate in realising it.

“We promise from the Directorate General of Corrections together with the Ministry of Social Affairs, Insha Allah collaboration with the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections to strive for the presence of social security, especially BPJS Premium Assistance Recipients for residents throughout Indonesia,” Rieke stated.