M

embers of the House of Representatives have blasted the Health Ministry for spending only a fraction of its budget on healthcare.

Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmakers Rieke Diyah Pitaloka and Ribka Tjiptaning said the proposed Rp 31.2 trillion (US$3.27 billion) budget, which constitutes only 2.07 percent of the 2013 state budget, was far below the mandatory 5 percent as stipulated in the Health Law.

“We question the government’s political commitment to the health sector as this amount contradicts the 2009 Health Law. We are concerned that the ministry will have problems in financing the healthcare scheme, Jamkesmas, with Rp 96.4 million,” Ribka said.

Rieke said that in order to comply with the Health Law, the government should allocate more than Rp 75 trillion.

The lawmakers also criticized the Health Ministry for earmarking more than half of the budget, Rp 15.8 trillion, for regular expenditures, while setting aside only 49.3 percent for providing health services.