Sri Mulyani Plans To Cut Health Budget Of IDR 71 Trillion In 2022, Why?

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The government through the Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani, said that the health budget in the 2022 State Revenue and Expenditure Budget Draft (RAPBN) amounted to IDR 255.3 trillion.

This amount is less than the allocation in the 2021 APBN which is IDR 326.4 trillion. This means that there will be a decrease of IDR 71.1 trillion starting next year.

“The budget is indeed lower than this year. However, we will see how quickly the PEN (Economic Recovery Program) will be effective, such as vaccinations, as well as testing, tracing, treatment, and medication that will actually be issued", he said in a virtual press conference, Monday, August 16.

In detail, the 2022 health budget consists of the health sector PEN fund of IDR 115.9 trillion and the regular health budget of IDR 139.4 trillion.

Meanwhile, for the 2021 period, the IDR 326.4 trillion health budget consists of IDR 201.2 trillion for health PEN funds and IDR 125.2 trillion for regular health budgets.

"Although this year the health budget has decreased, the regular sector has increased which will later be used to build several facilities", he said.

Meanwhile, the utilization of the 2022 health budget will focus on several coverages, including continued handling of COVID-19, acceleration of stunting reduction, assistance to 96.8 million JKN participants, assignment of health workers to underdeveloped areas of 5,200 people, construction of 80 health centers, and coverage of focus locations. handling stunting in 514 districts/cities.

"The government will also accelerate reform of the health system by transforming primary services, including strengthening health centers, strengthening promotive and preventive functions (including disease control and immunization), the transformation of referral services, improving the quality and redistribution of health workers, developing information technology in health services", said Minister of Finance, Sri Mulyani.