President Director of state health insurance BPJS Kesehatan, Ali Ghufron Mukti, said that Indonesia’s national health insurance system is built on the value of gotong royong (mutual cooperation), a defining feature of Indonesian society.
He emphasized that the success of this health insurance system serves as a concrete example of social solidarity in Indonesia. According to him, this principle has become a crucial foundation in ensuring the sustainability of healthcare services for all citizens.
“Indonesia has the strength of gotong royong values that have underpinned the growth of BPJS Kesehatan, shaping it into a not-for-profit institution focused on people’s welfare,” he said during a public lecture titled “The Development of BPJS Kesehatan in the Era of Global Economic Uncertainty & Its Strategies” on Thursday (Aug. 21) at the BRI Auditorium, UGM Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB UGM).
President Director Mukti also explained that BPJS Kesehatan’s achievements have gained international recognition.
He stated that Indonesia’s success in expanding health insurance coverage is considered a record among many countries.
This accomplishment also reflects the government’s commitment to broadening access to healthcare for all levels of society.
“Indonesia was even faster than South Korea, which took 12 years, while we were able to cover the entire population in just 10 years,” said President Director Mukti.
Additionally, he emphasized the importance of digital innovation in transforming healthcare services.
He mentioned that information technology has become the backbone for ensuring that services are more easily accessible to the public.
The presence of digital applications, he said, has also helped reduce administrative barriers often faced by participants.
“Participants now only need to use their ID card or the Mobile JKN application to access various services under the principles of convenience, speed, and equity,” he explained.
On this occasion, President Director Mukti also invited the UGM academic community to actively engage in health research.
He highlighted that the vast amount of data collected by BPJS Kesehatan could serve as a valuable source for academic studies.
In this way, universities could contribute to strengthening the social security system through data-driven research.
“BPJS Kesehatan records more than two million transaction data every day, which can be used by students and researchers to produce impactful scientific work,” he stated.
Furthermore, President Director Mukti highlighted global challenges facing health systems, including economic dynamics and changes in public behavior.
He emphasized that cross-sector collaboration, involving the government, academia, and the private sector, is crucial for maintaining the sustainability of BPJS Kesehatan.
Such collaboration, he added, is believed to deliver strategic solutions for improving healthcare service quality.
“The issue of sustainability cannot be handled by one party alone; it must become a shared movement so that the national health insurance system remains resilient,” he asserted.
Concluding the lecture, he emphasized that BPJS Kesehatan is one of the key instruments of social protection in Indonesia.
He noted that its presence has reduced the burden of healthcare costs while improving people’s welfare.
This, he added, demonstrates BPJS Kesehatan’s real contribution to national development.
“BPJS Kesehatan ensures that the sick are not denied treatment and the poor are no longer burdened by costs, as long as they remain active participants,” he concluded.
Dean of FEB UGM Professor Didi Achjari said that the public lecture delivered by the President Director of BPJS Kesehatan before lecturers, master’s and doctoral students, as well as invited guests from various institutions, was an important moment to enrich academic insight.
“We truly appreciate his willingness to share experiences regarding the development of BPJS Kesehatan and its contributions to the nation,” said Dean Achjari.
Author: Triya Andriyani
Post-editor: Lintang Andwyna
Photographs: FEB UGM