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AKARTA: The government is allocating a Health Operational Assistance (BOK) fund worth Rp 904.56 billion (US$99.50 million) in 2011 to improve health services provided by Community Health Centers (Puskesmas) in seven regions, a minister says.

Health Minister Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih said Tuesday that the allocated fund assistance would hopefully improve both promotive and preventive health services carried out by Puskesmas to support the government’s efforts in achieving its Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015 as targeted.

“I hope this assistance will develop community-level health services as part of our efforts to achieve the 2015 MDGs targets,” she said on the sidelines of a hearing with Commission IX overseeing labor, health and social affairs at the House of Representatives.

She said the BOK fund would be regionally disbursed to seven clusters, comprising Rp 170.33 billion for 2,271 Puskesmas in Sumatra, Rp 271.28 billion for 3,617 Puskesmas in Java and Bali, Rp 83,6 billion for 836 Puskesmas in Kalimantan, Rp 112,6 billion for 1,126 Puskesmas in Sulawesi, Rp 51,2 billion for 256 Puskesmas in Maluku, Rp 114.5 billion for 458 Puskesmas in Nusa Tenggara, and Rp 100.75 billion for 403 Puskesmas in Papua.

The assistance also includes a Rp 305 million additional budget for the improvement of Puskesmas management in 27 regencies and municipalities.

The BOK fund, disbursed by the Health Ministry since the middle of last year, is provided to improve both promotive and preventive health services carried out by Puskesmas in accordance with the country’s health care minimum standard.

Many Puskesmas centers have failed to implement its functions as places of people empowerment and primary individual and community health services.

The BOK fund will provide assistance to various promotive and preventive health services, comprising: Child and Maternal Health (KIA), the national family planning program (KB), immunization, nutrition, health promotion, disease control and environmental sanitation. — JP