The Dean of Medicine Faculty (FK) of UGM Prof Ali Ghufron Mukti on Wednesday (26/11) in an international seminar entitled "Health Financing and Health Insurance in Developing Countries" at FK UGM said that each year approximately there are 100 million of people are broke because of sickness.
He added that there are 36 million poor people in Indonesia, or approximately 17% of total population. The government spent IDR 7 trillion to cover the medical expenses of poor people in 2008, compared to IDR 3.8 trillion in 2007.
"In Indonesia, poor people don’t pay for the medical services they received, however, the government budget won’t be enough for next year," he explained at the Auditorium FK UGM.
Therefore a cooperation scheme between the central government, regional governments, universities, experts and other related sides is needed to mobilize funds and establish the health assurance system. Prof Ghufron hoped that through the seminar, there will be a solution found to improve the medical service system in Indonesia.
Prof Ghufron also added that experts involved in the seminar were exchanging their experiences, knowledge and strategies on how to develop the medical sop the medical system that cover poor people and also non-poor people with a limited resources. These experts came from Cambodia, Philippine, Vietnam, etc.
"All of them are struggling to eliminate financial barrier and ease the medical service access. The format used is consisted of three elements, poor people who are guaranteed by the government, sub-poor people who are subsidized and rich people who pay for the services. The financial management will be applied. This system is similar to the Gadjah Mada Medical Center (GMC), therefore this is a prototype of a fair, effective, efficient and qualified medical services
(Public Relations of UGM)