Young Doctor in Senayan Receives Sekar Agni Negeri Award for Exposing NTT Healthcare System Issues

DPD RI member Maria Caecilia Stevi Harman from East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) has received the Sekar Agni Negeri Award for her efforts in highlighting healthcare access issues in remote areas of NTT. The recognition was given for her consistent advocacy on regional healthcare services, particularly for disadvantaged communities struggling to access medical care.

‘This is an honour, a source of pride, and a responsibility,’ Harman told journalists in Jakarta on Thursday, 29 May 2026. She said the award motivates her to continue pushing for improvements in NTT’s healthcare system, citing ongoing challenges such as limited facilities and administrative barriers in using the BPJS Kesehatan health insurance scheme.

‘I consider this award the highest honour I’ve received, and it serves as motivation to ensure the healthcare needs of NTT’s people are properly addressed,’ said the daughter of senior Democrat Party politician Benny K Harman.

As a member of DPD RI’s Committee III, which handles health, education, social welfare, and child protection, Harman has frequently raised concerns about healthcare in remote NTT areas. A key issue she highlights is the suboptimal use of BPJS Kesehatan due to administrative data synchronization problems.

A graduate of the University of Indonesia’s Faculty of Medicine, she also pursued medical research at Monash University. Her internship experiences at healthcare facilities in Kupang, including SK Lerik, Pasir Panjang Public Health Centre, and Manutapen Public Health Centre, sparked her concern for regional healthcare challenges. During these placements, she witnessed firsthand the limitations faced by local communities, concluding that healthcare issues in these areas are deeply intertwined with social and economic conditions.

Her commitment to healthcare access has continued since her role in Committee III, where she consistently addresses public health concerns in NTT, particularly the difficulties faced by low-income residents in optimally utilising BPJS Kesehatan due to unresolved administrative data integration issues.