New bills on health and sports services introduced
New bills on health and sports services introduced
JAKARTA (JP): Three new bills on improving health services,
liberalizing city hospitals, and developing new sports activities
were introduced yesterday during a plenary session.
Three city hospitals are to be converted into independent
local institutions while additional emergency units and clinics
are to be built in the near future, thus state the two bills.
The third bill recommends the development of new sport
facilities and services, particularly for low-income families and
the disabled.
The city council spokesman, Sugeng Suprijatna, said the bill
on hospitals states that three city hospitals, RSUD Koja in
Tanjung Priok, RSUD Tarakan in Tanah Abang and RSUD Budhi Asih in
Cawang, will operate independently.
"This is important to improve the quality of health services
for low-income families," Sugeng said. "People in the districts
of Tanjung Priok, Tanah Abang and Cawang, live in a slummy
environment which could endanger the health of their children,"
he added.
The municipality will continue subsidizing the three hospitals
to finance their operation, maintenance and human resources
development. The subsidy to improve the hospitals' facilities
first needs to be approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The
bill also states that under the governor's authorization, the
hospitals are allowed to be managed by the private sector.
The Indonesian Democratic Party faction chairman, Lukman
Mokoginta, and the United Development Party chairman, Yusuf
Hamdani, shared the view that all hospitals and emergency units
should treat all patients the same regardless of financial
status.
"Some hospitals refuse to treat the poor unless they pay in
advance," Lukman said. "That's very inhumane, so we expect the
three hospitals to treat the poor without emphasizing the
financial aspect."
He said many physicians on night duty were reluctant to give
first-aid treatment when called on by the poor.
Yusuf said many poor patients with referrals were often
"detained" by hospital management until after they had paid their
bills.
He suggested that hospitals allocate 25 percent of their beds
to the poor and introduce financial benefits.
Joining the chorus, councilor Atje Muljadi from Commission E
on social welfare said there was a need for at least 33
additional standardized clinics in Jakarta districts.
He also said only 10 out of 280 clinics in Jakarta had
specialists. "We hope more specialists will be assigned in
subdistricts and districts to improve better service for the
community."
The councilors also called on the government to provide sport
facilities for youths from low-income communities as the city has
already had a lot of golf courses, tennis courts and bowling
centers for upper-middle class people.
Atje also stated that soccer fields were scarce while public
demand for them and facilities like them was high.
Lukman said in his speech that many municipality plots were
hardly available and many had been replaced with housing
complexes.
The sports bill states that the municipality should coordinate
and facilitate sports activities in every subdistrict, including
for the disabled. (10)
JAKARTA (JP): Three new bills on improving health services,
liberalizing city hospitals, and developing new sports activities
were introduced yesterday during a plenary session.
Three city hospitals are to be converted into independent
local institutions while additional emergency units and clinics
are to be built in the near future, thus state the two bills.
The third bill recommends the development of new sport
facilities and services, particularly for low-income families and
the disabled.
The city council spokesman, Sugeng Suprijatna, said the bill
on hospitals states that three city hospitals, RSUD Koja in
Tanjung Priok, RSUD Tarakan in Tanah Abang and RSUD Budhi Asih in
Cawang, will operate independently.
"This is important to improve the quality of health services
for low-income families," Sugeng said. "People in the districts
of Tanjung Priok, Tanah Abang and Cawang, live in a slummy
environment which could endanger the health of their children,"
he added.
The municipality will continue subsidizing the three hospitals
to finance their operation, maintenance and human resources
development. The subsidy to improve the hospitals' facilities
first needs to be approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The
bill also states that under the governor's authorization, the
hospitals are allowed to be managed by the private sector.
The Indonesian Democratic Party faction chairman, Lukman
Mokoginta, and the United Development Party chairman, Yusuf
Hamdani, shared the view that all hospitals and emergency units
should treat all patients the same regardless of financial
status.
"Some hospitals refuse to treat the poor unless they pay in
advance," Lukman said. "That's very inhumane, so we expect the
three hospitals to treat the poor without emphasizing the
financial aspect."
He said many physicians on night duty were reluctant to give
first-aid treatment when called on by the poor.
Yusuf said many poor patients with referrals were often
"detained" by hospital management until after they had paid their
bills.
He suggested that hospitals allocate 25 percent of their beds
to the poor and introduce financial benefits.
Joining the chorus, councilor Atje Muljadi from Commission E
on social welfare said there was a need for at least 33
additional standardized clinics in Jakarta districts.
He also said only 10 out of 280 clinics in Jakarta had
specialists. "We hope more specialists will be assigned in
subdistricts and districts to improve better service for the
community."
The councilors also called on the government to provide sport
facilities for youths from low-income communities as the city has
already had a lot of golf courses, tennis courts and bowling
centers for upper-middle class people.
Atje also stated that soccer fields were scarce while public
demand for them and facilities like them was high.
Lukman said in his speech that many municipality plots were
hardly available and many had been replaced with housing
complexes.
The sports bill states that the municipality should coordinate
and facilitate sports activities in every subdistrict, including
for the disabled. (10)