Health Budget Increases 8.1 Percent, Ensures Equitable Utilization

The health budget prepared in the 2024 state budget is IDR 186.4 trillion. That number increased 8.1 percent over the previous year.

The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI. The original article can be found in Anggaran Kesehatan Naik 8,1 Persen, Pastikan Pemanfaatan Berkeadilan

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

Citizens are managing administrative completeness to obtain the responsibility of the cost of the Social Security Administrator Body (BPJS) Health at Siloam Semanggi Hospital, Jakarta, on Monday (11/12/2018).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The government plans to allocate a health budget of Rp 186.4 trillion or 5.6 percent of the State Revenue and Expenditure Budget in 2024. This amount is an increase of 8.1 percent compared to the budget in 2023. The use of health budget is encouraged to be more fair.

The Chairman of the Central Executive Board of the Indonesian Public Health Expert Association (IAKMI), Dedi Supratman, stated that the government's decision to increase the health budget in the 2024 state budget should be appreciated. However, a reorientation of the health budget should be carried out by ensuring a fair utilization of the budget.

"The health budget must be fair, meaning that distribution should be evenly distributed throughout all rural areas. Currently, health development is highly concentrated in Java, while other regions are still lagging behind," he said when contacted in Jakarta on Thursday (17/8/2023)."

Health budget must be fair. This means that distribution should be evenly spread to all regions.

Dedi added that the reorientation in the use of health budget is also considered urgent for strengthening promotive and preventive efforts. So far, the utilization of budget for strengthening promotive and preventive efforts in the health sector is still seen as mere discourse. In practice, the use of health budget is still dominated by curative or treatment financing.

According to him, this is what causes various health problems in society to remain unresolved. In fact, some diseases have even experienced an increase in cases. The number of tuberculosis cases in Indonesia, for example, ranks second highest in the world.

Also read: Securing the Health Budget

In addition, cases of non-communicable diseases such as stroke, diabetes mellitus, and heart disease are still high. "This shows that prevention efforts have not increased significantly," he said.

Mandatory budget

Dedi also highlighted the government's commitment in determining the health budget. Even though the health budget in the APBN has increased, the decision to abolish mandatory spending in the health sector in the Health Omnibus Law needs to be a common concern.

Read also: Removal of Compulsory Health Expenditure Allocation Is Considered Counterproductive

"Keep in mind that currently there is no mandatory spending. So, not only the APBN, the central government must oversee the APBD to ensure that local governments continue to allocate sufficient budget for health development," he said.

KOMPAS/FRANSISKUS PATI HERIN

A child underwent examination at the emergency room of Ilwaki Public Health Center, Wetar Island, Southwest Maluku Regency, Maluku, on Monday (8/8/2022). The room is also used for childbirth.

The Health Law Number 36 of 2009 concerning Health, before being deleted and replaced by Law Number 17 of 2023 concerning Health, mandated a mandatory budget in the health sector of at least 5 percent of the state budget (APBN) and 10 percent of the regional budget (APBD). Meanwhile, in Law Number 17 of 2023, the provision was deleted and replaced with a program-based health budget that is formulated in the Health Sector Master Plan.

Health budget

President Joko Widodo announced in his state speech on the Draft Law on the State Budget (APBN) for the 2024 fiscal year, along with the financial note, that the health budget will be Rp 186.4 trillion. The budget is expected to support efforts in developing healthy and productive human resources. The announcement was made at the Plenary Meeting Room of the Nusantara MPR/DPR/DPD Building in Jakarta on Wednesday, August 16, 2023.

The President said the health budget would be directed to support the transformation of the health system, encourage the development of a strong and competitive pharmaceutical industry, increase access to and quality of primary and referral services, and ensure the availability of reliable health care facilities from upstream to downstream. The health budget is also prepared for more effective implementation of the JKN program and accelerating the reduction in the prevalence of tengkes (stunting).

"Reducing the prevalence of stunting to reach 14 percent in 2024 will be carried out through expanding the coverage of all districts/cities in Indonesia by strengthening the synergy of various institutions," he said.

KOMPAS/HENDRA A SETYAWAN

President Joko Widodo attended the Plenary Session of the Parliament at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, on Wednesday, August 16, 2023. President Jokowi delivered a state speech in order to present the Draft Law on State Revenue and Expenditure Budget for the fiscal year of 2024, accompanied by financial notes and supporting documents.

Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin stated in a press release that health budget has been consistently increasing in the past five years. In 2020, the health budget from the state budget was recorded at Rp 119.9 trillion, and it increased to Rp 124.4 trillion in 2021, Rp 134.8 trillion in 2022, and Rp 172.5 trillion in 2023. In 2024, the prepared health budget is further increased to Rp 186.4 trillion.

Read also : Budget Commitment for Public Health Services

"The increase in budget certainly becomes a task for the Ministry of Health to immediately complete targets set by the President. Especially to implement promotive and preventive programs, that is to keep society from falling ill," he said.