T

he objective of Governor Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s healthcare program is undeniably noble. The Jakarta Health Card (KJS) program, which he launched on Nov. 10, 2012, soon after his inauguration as the city’s governor a month earlier, is to help Jakartans — particularly those on low incomes — enjoy wider access to services provided at all the city’s hospitals.

Just a few months since the launch of the program, however, and many Jakartans have begun to experience the weaknesses of the program. Many hospitals in the city can no longer function at optimal capacity as they have to serve a far larger number of patients, particularly those seeking free treatment.

Many patients reportedly wait up to eight hours on average before receiving medical attention. Some commentators have gone too far, however, in linking the recent death of a 4-day-old infant, who was turned away by 10 hospitals in the city due to limited facilities, to Jokowi’s healthcare program.

It is wrong to blame the healthcare program for the incident as such a tragedy could have happened at any time, including before the program was introduced. After all, the hospitals’ rejections were due to a lack of a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to treat the child.

To be fair, there are many people who thank Governor Jokowi for the free medical services he has introduced. Patients with life-threatening illnesses like cancer and kidney failure, who previously had to spend large amounts of money, can now leave hospital without paying a single cent.

But we agree that the Jakarta city administration has to thoroughly assess the limitations of the program so that any potentially negative impacts can be addressed in the future.

Jokowi’s plan was to increase the capacity of third-class services at city-run hospitals, to be allocated to KJS patients, by reducing the number of second-class services in those hospitals. Such a move should be treated as a temporary solution as it will surely not help the hospitals’ financial sustainability as, in the long run, it will radically reduce their income. Hospitals need to be financially healthy so that they can regularly upgrade and modernize their medical equipment and facilities.

In launching the KJS program, Jokowi has essentially introduced a “Welfare State” system that in many countries, including the US, Australia and Britain, has posed a number of problems, particularly in the maintenance of hospital quality.

As part of the program, Jokowi plans to issue a total 4.7 million cards — equivalent to half the city’s population - which is set to be completed this year.

It is unlikely that Jokowi will stop his popular healthcare program as that would prove counterproductive in respect to his campaign promises prior to being elected. He can — and should — allow the program to continue, but he must address its weaknesses.