Jakarta’s health care system is under attack once again, previously having been criticized for the filming of a soap opera death in a hospital leading to the death of an Indonesian girl. This time around, the blame is placed on the Jakarta Health Card (KJS) scheme, launched just last November by recently-elected Governor Jokowi to improve free health care services to Jakarta’s poorer residents. The system intended as a step towards universal health care in Jakarta is being blamed for the death of 15-year-old Ana Mudrika from severe intestinal infection after four hospitals either denied treatment or had no space for her. In February, a one-week-old baby died from respiratory problems after being denied care at ten hospitals.
From iToday:
A Victim of Jokowi’s Jakarta Health Card
The Jakarta Health Card Scheme (KJS) which is under the jurisdiction of Jakarta’s Governor, Joko Widodo, or Jokowi, is simply a lie because there is evidence to suggest that the scheme does not help the city’s residents gain access to medical treatment. In some cases, KJS cardholders who were rejected from hospital have even died. Those are the opinions of the chairman of Indonesian Health Consumer Empowerment Foundation (YPKKI), Marius Widjajarta.
Marius said that Jokowi and the health department often threaten hospitals which don’t accept KJS, but what they don’t realize is that the problem lies with KJS itself. “It seems likely that Jokowi was hasty, then he proposed an online system, despite having no guarantee that KJS will improve by putting the system online. The development of an online system requires substantial costs,” said Marius.
Marius discussed the case of Pekanbaru‘s administration who uses a health insurance provider named PT Askes as their health service provider. Marius said that the Pekanbaru’s system is run better that Jokowi’s KJS scheme. “I spent two weeks in Pekanbaru, sampling PT Askes. I think their administration is far better than the KJS scheme as the system is fully functional and clear. In Pekanbaru, clinics will refer patients to both private and public hospitals. Marius said that health care is far more effective in Pekanbaru than in Jakarta. “PT Askes is already online from Aceh to as far as Jayapura,” said Marius.
According to a recent report, Ana Mudrika (14) [pictured below], a resident of Inspeksi Kali Street, Cakung Lama, Sukapura, Cilinging, North Jakarta, had no help in getting proper healthcare. In fact, Ana Mudrika, the third child of Endang Rukmana (48) and Royati (38), was a KJS cardholder. However, it turns out that having KJS is not a guarantee and Ana was rejected from several hospitals, resulting in her eventual death.
Comments from Kaskus, Kompas and iToday:
jasatitipbeli:
I am not from Jakarta, but there is always good news about Jokowi. Hopefully this problem with KJS can be resolved quickly without a disadvantage to the community.
priyatin:
According to Marius, the health system is much better in Pekanbaru… How will the best Mayor in the world [Mr Jokowi] respond? In the meantime, the poor suffers and sits around watching K-Pop…. The honeymoon period is over, Mr. Jokowi… It is time to face reality!
alterjon:
For me there are both pluses and minuses with KJS.
Plus:
In the past my relatives have been admitted to Budhi Asih hospital in serious condition, all costs were covered until they recovered. The total cost was 7 million rupiah but we didn’t have to pay out a single cent. Thanks to KJS since they totally couldn’t afford the fees…
Minus:
The hospital was packed. It was so cramped that I had to cancel my own treatment.
In conclusion:
KJS’s vision/mission is actually good. The new system proved better than STKM [Certificate of Disability].
danvant:
I have seen many junior high school students on their Blackberries… Are you still suggesting that most people still can’t afford KJS? hmmm
priyatin: (reply to danvant)
The measurements between the rich and poor are different. It is clear that nowadays most Indonesians put the need for tertiary things over the need for essentials.
WargaDKI:
As an example: There were 1000 people who previously could not get medical treatment because they did not have KJS. All of them went to the hospital and only three of them got rejected because the hospital was full. This meant that the other 997 people were treated. It is ironic that the above article is focusing on the three people and immediately accusing KJS as a lie…
alay:
The article which is written here is too tendentious [one-sided only]. In fact, many people have been helped by this program.
echy:
Why is this article so biassed? Clearly, the writer is an informant for the YPKKI [Indonesian Health Consumer Empowerment Foundation]
pentahana:
The end result for Ana [the girl who eventually died] is probably the same whether the child uses the new KJS system or Pekanbaru’s system. So what’s the difference?
Rani:
All hospitals only want money when accepting new patients, otherwise they’ll claim that the hospital is full!
Harahap:
I think this is because Java island is way overpopulated. The Javanese like to make babies. My ex-maid is poor and stupid yet she has 7 kids! I never understand why people keep on having babies despite having no money to feed them.
Itang:
Indonesia always acts like a rich country yet ….
What do you think? Is universal health care better than private health insurance?
