Many Residents Treat Overseas, Commission IX Of The House Of Representatives Asks The Government To Improve National Health Services

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairman of Commission IX of the House of Representatives Yahya Zaini asked the government to improve the quality of national health services and ensure the protection of patient rights.

This was conveyed by Yahya in response to the increasing number of Indonesian citizens who choose to seek treatment abroad every year, even though domestic health facilities continue to grow.

According to Yahya, the rise of residents who choose foreign treatment shows that there is still room for improvement in the availability of facilities, quality of service, and level of public trust in the national health system.

"Therefore, the government needs to place the fulfillment of the patient's right to quality health services as a top priority," said Yahya, Monday, November 3.

Yahya also reminded the government to strengthen the competence of health workers through sustainable education, international certification, and adequate welfare guarantees. That way, according to him, the quality of health services can increase.

"Health workers are the spearhead of public services. The government must strengthen their competence through sustainable education and internationally recognized certification," said Yahya.

Yahya also encourages fiscal reform in the health sector so that service costs are more affordable.

According to him, tax reductions for medical devices, drugs, and other levies, as well as digitization and innovation of health technology to accelerate services and increase public trust in domestic hospitals, must be part of this strategic step.

"Digitalization and innovation of health technology can be the key to accelerating services and rebuilding public confidence in domestic hospitals. We must not continue to let people feel that treatment abroad is the only option," said the Golkar legislator from the East Java VIII electoral district.

Yahya assessed that people who seek treatment abroad do not only have implications for health, but also drain foreign exchange and hinder the potential for the domestic economy from the health care sector.

Therefore, Yahya emphasized the importance of accelerating fiscal reform, increasing the capacity of medical human resources, and developing hospital technology so that Indonesian patients feel safe and confident of treatment domestically.

"This is not just an administrative matter, but a form of state responsibility to ensure that every citizen has the right to fair, proper, and quality health services," he concluded.

To note, around 200 thousand Indonesians carry out health care abroad every year, especially to Malaysia and Singapore. The most frequent cases are related to heart, cancer, fertility, and radiology services, which are considered to be still more advanced abroad.

Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture (Menko PMK) Pratikno also stated that around one million Indonesian citizens (WNI) seek treatment abroad every year. As a result, foreign exchange that leaks abroad reaches around Rp. 200 trillion per year.