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s a physically able 16-year-old student in a world full of adults, I am so utterly amazed and disappointed by the total lack of consideration for the physically disabled in Indonesia.

Even as healthy citizens of this country, we are faced with multiple daily frustrations as we try to navigate the juggernaut of this city.

Unstable dangerous sidewalks (if they exist at all), traffic lights that offer no opportunity for pedestrian crossings, a lack of availability and efficiency of public transportation'€¦ the list is endless. These are unfortunate realities that we are expected to deal with and endure as able-bodied citizens of Indonesia.

All of which begs the question, how are the physically disabled expected to navigate the disordered streets, commute, live and contribute as equal citizens of this country, if opportunities for equal access is not provided for them? The answer lies with the government.

In the late summer of 2012, The Guardian released a report regarding national spending on health. Of the 194 countries mentioned, the United States topped the list, as the country with the highest spending on health in the world, spending a whopping 17.9 percent of GDP on health.

The report showed Indonesia, the fourth most populated country in the world, with a total expenditure of 2.6 percent of GDP on health, falling well behind other developing countries such as Bangladesh and the Philippines.

The numerical difference is stupefying. With a population
as vast as 250 million, one would expect the expenditure tripled or even quadrupled, in order to fulfill the basic medical
needs of the people.

Within this context of overall spending on health, virtually nothing is attributed to the needs of the physically disabled.

Most disabled people in Indonesia are without government welfare, specialized medical treatment or supportive technology. So really, what could be more important for the government budget than spending on health care?

Setting aside the inconceivably low level of health care spending, the dominant condition constricting the physically disabled is the lack of facilities to enable their integration.

Dangerous roads and sidewalks offer no support or accessibility to young adults, such as me, let alone someone confined to a wheelchair.

The busway, one of the most popular and efficient modes of transportation in the city, does not provide ramps or elevators for those in wheelchairs.

With mobility lost to their illness, and their means of transportation unsupported by the government, how can a disabled person develop a sense of dignity and the ability to positively contribute to society?

Chesney Collyer
Jakarta