Rieke Diah Pitaloka Advocates for Prisoners and Their Families to Receive Health Insurance

JAKARTA – Member of the Indonesian House of Representatives’ Commission XIII, Rieke Diah Pitaloka, is pushing the government to provide social security through BPJS Kesehatan to all prisoners in Indonesia along with their families. This effort is deemed essential to ensure that the health rights of inmates are fulfilled.

Rieke conveyed this during her attendance at the remission ceremony for seven prisoners as part of the Nyepi celebration at the Class I Cipinang Detention Centre in East Jakarta on Wednesday (18/3/2026).

“Additionally, I also discussed what we consider a quite important issue: the matter of health social security for inmates throughout the country as well as their families,” Rieke stated when interviewed at the location.

According to her, legally, inmates should fall under the category of BPJS PBI participants, which is the health insurance programme for the underprivileged with premiums covered by the government.

To date, Rieke continued, the cost of treating prisoners without BPJS is still borne by the correctional institutions. This situation is seen as burdensome, especially amid efforts to improve facilities in prisons and detention centres.

“Because if health costs are borne by the correctional system, whose budget is just starting to improve with all sorts of facility enhancements, the funds are not sufficient,” she said.

In addition to advocating for health insurance for inmates, Rieke also emphasised the importance of similar protection for prisoners’ families.

“Both inmates and their families must be ensured by the state to receive health social security rights,” she stated.