More Jakarta residents lack access to health services
More Jakarta residents lack access to health services
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Poor Jakarta residents cannot look forward to improved access to
affordable health care after the central government decided to
exclude the capital from a subsidized health care program.
The central government had originally allocated Rp 14.9
billion (US$1.6 million) to subsidize medical services for poor
Jakarta residents following the 29 percent increase in fuel
prices on March 1.
Minister of Health Siti Fadilah Supari recently announced,
however, that Jakarta would not receive the money.
"Minister Fadilah said Jakarta would most likely not receive
assistance for health services," the assistant to the city
secretary for people's welfare, Rohana Manggala, said over the
weekend.
Rohana did not give a reason for the decision, but hinted that
it may have something to do with the city's allocation of Rp 100
billion in the 2005 budget to provide affordable health care for
the poor.
She said the central government's decision meant at least
227,134 poor city residents would have no access to affordable
health care.
The city administration estimates that about 3.5 million of
Jakarta's 12 million residents are in dire need of subsidized
health services.
"According to our estimate, the Rp 100 billion we allocated
will only be able to reach 1.7 million poor residents, leaving
some 1.8 million others without access to more affordable health
care," she said.
Governor Sutiyoso said he would ask the health minister to
reconsider and release the funds for the city.
"I have ordered my subordinates to get a clarification
directly from the minister. I think poor Jakartans deserve the
assistance since they also feel the bite of the fuel price
increases," the governor said.
In addition to health assistance funds, the central government
is deliberating fund allocations for other sectors such as
education, food and small and medium enterprises, in an effort to
offset the higher fuel prices.
"Bappenas (Office of the State Minister for National Planning)
is still discussing detailed allocations," Jakarta City Planning
Board head Achmad Hariyadi told The Jakarta Post on Sunday.
The latest data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) shows
that the number of residents living below the poverty line
increased 18 percent to 370,898 people (91,468 households) last
year, from 314,702 people (80,961 households) in 2003.
East Jakarta saw the highest increase at 85 percent, from
55,491 people in 2003 to 102,957 in 2004.
Central Jakarta, where numerous multinational companies,
government offices and embassies are located, also saw a sharp 58
percent increase in the number of poor residents, to 68,599 last
year from about 45,328 in 2003.
BPS defines someone as poor if he or she meets at least three
of eight criteria, including: living in a dwelling that is less
than eight square meters in size; living in a dwelling that has a
dirt floor instead of tiles or cement; having no access to clean
water; having no access to a toilet; living in a house with walls
made of plywood or cardboard.