The 2020 draft state budget unveiled by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo during a House of Representatives (DPR) plenary meeting last Friday highlighted his commitment to continuing to improve the country’s infrastructure and human resources. The government’s total expenditure is projected to reach Rp 2.52 quadrillion (US$177.31 billion) in the 2020 draft state budget, up 7.9 percent from Rp 2.34 quadrillion in 2019. About 70 percent of the funds will be spent by the central government while the other 30 percent will be transferred to regional administrations. Of the total, the budget allocation for health care is projected to increase by 13 percent year-on-year (yoy) to Rp 132.2 trillion in 2020, most of which will be used to strengthen preventive healthcare programs through the healthy lifestyle movement (Germas) and to strengthen early childhood health prog...