MP urges improvement of roads and healthcare access in remote areas

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives Ratih Megasari Singkarru has urged local governments to prioritise the improvement of road infrastructure and the strengthening of healthcare service access in remote areas. She expressed this call in response to an incident where a mother gave birth amid limited access in Kopeang, Tapalang Subdistrict, Mamuju, West Sulawesi. “As a mother, witnessing that event leaves a deep sense of sorrow. Imagining a mother risking her life, struggling to give birth on a muddy road far from medical standards, makes my heart feel her fear and anxiety,” Ratih stated in Jakarta on Tuesday. She then stressed the need for concrete steps, such as accelerating the construction and repair of village roads, so that residents’ mobility to healthcare facilities is no longer hindered. According to her, policies and budget allocations must be focused on the most urgent needs of the community, especially those directly related to saving lives. “Through this incident, there is great hope that the orientation of policies and public budget allocations will be more focused on fulfilling the urgent needs of the community,” she said. “For rural residents, road infrastructure is not just a matter of comfort, but a matter of connecting lives,” she added. Furthermore, she hopes that local governments, together with stakeholders, can ensure such incidents do not recur by providing more equitable and adequate access. “We must not face the bitter reality in the future where residents fall ill or lose their lives simply because they cannot reach healthcare facilities due to disrupted road access,” Ratih said. She also invited all parties to ensure that public budgets truly address the fundamental needs of the community, especially in remote areas. “I am confident that with good intentions and cooperation from all of us, there will be no more mothers or children who feel abandoned, and we can realise a safe and decent environment for all communities, even in the remotest areas,” she concluded.