Disease Prevention Efforts Sacrificed

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

Activists declare a citizens\' movement to call for the processing of administrative documents to receive services from the Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital in Jakarta on Wednesday, Sept 19, 2018. The government is seeking other funding sources to cover BPJS Kesehatan’s deficit, including from the regional cigarette tax.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – The government’s decision to use part of the regional cigarette excise income to cover the financial deficit of the Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) has not been well received.

The measure will reduce the government’s support for health promotion and disease prevention, which means the long-term program to prevent people from being sick will be impacted. So far, efforts to promote public health and prevent diseases have not received enough funding from the government. At present, the public health efforts in regions still rely on the local cigarette excise. A strong public health effort could effectively prevent people from falling sick, but such an effort is not free.