The Center for Health Policy and Management (PKMK) of the UGM Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing organized the National Forum I of Health Philanthropy online on July 21-22, 2020.
This event aimed to examine the potential of philanthropic funding for health development in Indonesia as well as a means of disseminating the inaugural research collaboration between PKMK FKKMK UGM and the Indonesian Philanthropic Association.
“The role of the philanthropic sector in health development in Indonesia is very large and can still be explored even more. We can educate the public as donors and on the other hand, also encourage the government to create policies that are more conducive to philanthropy,” explained Shita Listya Dewi MPH, PKMK consultant and researcher on Tuesday (7/21).
This forum is the first health scientific forum to discuss philanthropy in the health sector in Indonesia. Philanthropy in the health sector is one form of non-government sector participation in health management. However, the government is responsible for its citizens to get access to adequate health services.
Research presented in this forum is a mapping of the activities of philanthropic institutions in Indonesia that contribute to the health sector. In the dissemination of this initial research, several 117 private corporate and non-corporate institutions explained to have contributed to the health philanthropy sector in Indonesia.
“Non-governmental parties are urgently needed to overcome health problems in Indonesia. This does not replace the funding function of the government, but to complement it,” said Dr. Jodi Visnu, MPH as the main researcher.
This research begins with identifying organizations that have contributed to health philanthropy in Indonesia and in-depth interviews with several philanthropic institutions. This event aims to explore the role of non-government institutions in health philanthropy in Indonesia, exploring the potential of philanthropy in the health sector, and identifying health philanthropic challenges faced by health philanthropy of non-government institutions in the JKN era.
He explained, although the growth of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reached 5.2 per cent, the proportion of total health expenditure on GDP remained stagnant at 3.2-3.3 per cent. Therefore, other financial sources such as philanthropy are deemed necessary to complete the health financing system during the National Health Insurance (JKN) period.
Meanwhile, Executive Director of the Indonesian Philanthropy Association, Hamid Abidin, S.S., M.Sc., revealed that the potential for health philanthropy in Indonesia is enormous. The total contribution of handling Covid-19 alone, he said, reached Rp. 905 billion.
However, conducive policies have not supported adequate research and data. According to Hamid, the government can play a role in providing a conducive policy climate in the form of facilities, awards, and tax incentives. Also, in increasing organizational capacity and program effectiveness, helping provide data and research development, and helping program development and sustainability through policy and program adaptation.
“Philanthropy abroad receives incentives in the form of tax deduction and tax exemption. In Indonesia, we have a tax incentive policy for five fields, but unfortunately, it does not include the health itself,” Hamid said.
According to him, it is necessary to educate donors to be able to make donations in an organized and long-term manner.
“It is not only a curative health program but also a preventive and promotive program whose impact and function are very strategic for health,” he said.
Author: Gloria
Translator: Natasa A