T

he Sayap Ibu Foundation, which has been sheltering orphans since 1955, has asked the city administration for help to speed up securing access to the national health insurance (JKN), managed by the Social Security Management Agency (BPJS).

Sayap Ibu chairwoman Atie Subiyanto said after meeting with acting governor Basuki '€œAhok'€ Tjahaja Purnama at City Hall on Wednesday that her foundation had tried to get the insurance for around 30 children but had still not received the cards, after a month of efforts.

Atie said that the foundation previously received free treatment for the orphans using welfare cards (Gakin), but that the cards could no longer be used since the new JKN system was implemented.

'€œHowever, it takes a long time to get the new cards, while many children need regular treatment,'€ she said.

Atie said some of children at the foundation had serious diseases such as meningitis, while others had issues like harelips and cataracts that needed special therapy or surgery.

'€œWe recently paid Rp 60 million (US$4,962) for a child suffering from meningitis who was treated at the Pertamina hospital [South Jakarta],'€ she said.

Atie said the hospital had helped by scrapping doctors'€™ fees and reducing room fees. However, the foundation still had to pay for medication.

According to Atie, the foundation spends around Rp 100 million per month on operational costs, 30 percent of which is allocated to medical expenses. Separately, Ahok said he suggested that the foundation register as a group with the Health Agency. '€œIt would be faster for it to get the cards,'€ he said.

Ahok said the city administration would also give the foundation a grant of between Rp 100 million to Rp 200 million.

'€œThe foundation only gets Rp 38 million [per month] from the central government and has said that is not enough to cover its operational costs of around Rp 100 million although it also receives donations from the public,'€ he said.

Ahok said the foundation also asked for other support, including an ambulance. '€œI said to them that they do not need to have an ambulance as the maintenance costs would be expensive,'€ he said.

He said the foundation simply needed to call the service provided by the Health Agency.

Health Agency head Dien Emmawati said that, had the foundation applied for the cards through the agency, not directly with the BPJS, the orphans would have received the cards sooner.

Dien said information on JKN procedures had also not been spread well. '€œPertamina hospital does not cooperate with us. If they want to use JKN benefits, they have to treat the children in public hospitals or private hospitals that cooperate with the BPJS.'€

Dien said the city administration promised that the foundation'€™s cards would be ready in three days. '€œThey only have to submit all the requirements to the agency,'€ she said, adding that the agency previously managed to make cards quickly for a foundation with 8,000 children.

According to Dien, it is important for the foundation to access the JKN as its children face complex situations and some need expensive medical treatment.