The government plans to upgrade 66 regional public hospitals (RSUD) in underdeveloped and remote areas from Type D to Type C to ensure more equitable and higher-quality healthcare services.
The program is expected to increase the capacity of regional hospitals and provide communities with access to higher-quality health services.
Responding to this plan, Pradhikna Yunik Nurhayati, a Public Management and Policy lecturer at Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), expressed support for the initiative but noted at least three important aspects to consider in accelerating public healthcare services.
First is the availability of healthcare infrastructure and facilities, such as hospitals, medical personnel, and medicines.
“The lack of medical personnel is not merely due to a shortage of human resources, but also inadequate facilities and regional hospital conditions,” said Nurhayati on Wednesday (Apr. 9).
Second is the issue of accessibility—ensuring that facilities and services are within the public’s reach. Then, there is affordability, meaning that the services are financially accessible.
Strategies to improve this do not necessarily involve lowering service prices but can also include health insurance schemes such as BPJS or life insurance.
“If we look closely, the problem is not just about availability, but also the need for strong political will. Commitment from regional leaders or decision-makers is essential,” she said.
Nurhayati emphasized that scientific studies and political commitment must support policy or decision-making processes.
She appreciated the government’s efforts over the years to prioritize access to healthcare facilities. However, such efforts cannot be reliant on the government alone.
There must be participatory action from various stakeholders, including the private sector.
“It is important to understand the problems on the ground. Solving them also requires a variety of approaches,” said Nurhayati.
Furthermore, Nurhayati noted that health is a complex issue. Beyond ensuring the availability and accessibility of healthcare services, the government must also promote agendas that prioritize health.
One approach is to raise public awareness about the importance of viewing health as a result of daily habits.
“Regardless of one’s economic status, people still need to be educated on healthy behaviors,” Nurhayati added.
From a socio-economic and environmental perspective, healthy living habits are often reflected in clean and healthy surroundings.
Communities must collectively pursue this, for example, by building a shared commitment to cleanliness, managing waste, and avoiding environmental pollution.
The same applies to dietary habits. Maintaining balanced nutrition does not always require expensive ingredients. Fruits, vegetables, root crops, and soybean products can serve as affordable options with good nutritional value.
“Health should not only be approached curatively but also preventively and promotively. We need to learn how to prevent illness, as treatment becomes much more expensive as a disease progresses,” Nurhayati said.
Strong cross-sectoral collaboration is necessary to support such preventive and promotive efforts.
Therefore, the government and stakeholders in the health sector are encouraged to involve more parties in order to strengthen their commitment to improving the quality of life through health.
Author: Tasya
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya
Image: Freepik