BPK Values Indonesia's Health Ecosystem Is Not Strong, JKN Program Becomes A Spotlight

President Joko Widodo (center) receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, at the State Palace, Wednesday 13 January 2020. (Photo: Presidential Secretariat Press Bureau)

JAKARTA - The Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) assesses that Indonesia does not yet have a health ecosystem that is strong enough to provide public health services.

This was revealed by BPK in the significant findings of the examination results conducted from 2015-2019 on the National Health Insurance (JKN) program and regional government Hospital BLUDs, as well as BPK's opinion on the JKN program which was submitted in early 2021.

Deputy Chairman of the BPK Agus Joko Pramono said this condition was one of the causes of the country's unpreparedness in dealing with the extraordinary COVID-19 pandemic situation.

"The issue needs attention from the central government and regional governments, namely how to prioritize health programs in improving the health ecosystem," he said in the webinar on Regional Government Policies, Opportunities, Challenges, and Leadership in the Period and Post-pandemic, Thursday, June 17.

According to Agus, his party has conducted an examination to assess the government's efforts in handling the pandemic and national economic recovery (PEN), in the second semester of 2020.

"BPK noted several significant problems with regional government entities, namely the implementation of rationalization of regional revenues and expenditures without considering target adjustments and not in accordance with regulations," he said.

In addition, Agus emphasized that the strategies and policies for handling regional economic impacts were inadequate, especially the distribution of social assistance and working capital stimulus which was deemed too late.

"BPK also highlights that the number and target are not right in providing social assistance, there are still weaknesses in the implementation of testing, tracing, treatment and education regarding COVID-19 to the public," he said.

For that, he continued, one of the keys to successfully overcoming the crisis caused by the pandemic is strong leadership on all fronts.

“BPK will provide an overview of future alternative options for decision making. This view of the future, especially regarding the possibilities that may occur in the regions, will be a valuable input for BPK in formulating long-term policies,” explained Agus.

For information, the webinar organized by RI's top institutions was also attended by the Minister of Home Affairs, as well as several regional heads, namely the Governor of DKI Jakarta, Governor of West Java, Governor of Central Java, and Governor of North Sulawesi.