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Jakarta: About 177.84 million people, including the poor and underprivileged, in Indonesia have been covered by the 'Jamkes' health social insurance scheme, a cabinet minister said.

Health Minister Nafsiah Mboi in her written address read out on Sunday by Hugua, the Wakatobi District head, Southeast Sulawesi, said that 2,186 hospitals had been providing Jamkes services across the country.
In her address to the commemoration of the 68th National Heroes Day, the Minister said that besides the hospitals, a total of 9,599 public health care centers (Puskesmas) had also been made available.

There are also some 23,225 Sub-Puskesmas units, 54,704 village health posts and 276,688 integrated health service posts (Posyandu).
"We continue to increase health services from time to time to eliminate health service disparities among regions, among groups and social economic groups," she said.

The Minister said that the government had made a number of achievements in the health service sector such as the eradication of polio, malaria, leprosy, the handling of HIV/AIDS patients, increasing nutritional intake and accelerating the efforts to achieve the millennium development goals. (Jakarta. Antaranews.com, 11/17/2013)

Comment

A few months later in 1 January 2014 Indonesian government will implement a law namely National Social Security System. Through the legislation gradually every citizen will be forced to be participants of social insurance for health care. It is a mechanism for collecting funds from compulsory dues to provide protection against social and economic risks that befall to participants and / or their family members. This clearly indicates a policy that states leave responsibility for providing health services to the people.

Statements from the Health Minister only emphasize that the government gives health services to people who are able to pay funds, otherwise you will get nothing. People should question, what is the function of an institution named state? It is on contrary with what Islam sets on the function of state. Especially on providing health services for all people.

Islam obliges state to run these principles:

First, public health is a basic needs. Whoever he is, poor-rich, Muslim-non-Muslim. Direct fulfillment should be guaranteed by the state. The prophet says, which means, "Anyone who entering a morning in safe condition, healthy body and has food for the day, it is as if the world had been his".

Second, the government has obligation to take full responsibility to ensure the quality of free health services for each individual community.

Words of the Messenger of Allah, which means,

"... فالأمير الذي على الناس راع، وهو مسئول عن رعيته..."

"Imam (Caliph) who became leader of men, is (like) shepherd. And he alone is responsible for the people." (Reported by al-Bukhari).

It is forbidden for the government to play role only as a regulator and facilitator.

The first and second principles are in harmony with the ideals of human health that provide health care to anyone who needs it, without prioritizing material rewards.

At the time of the Islamic civilization, this principle is really implemented. As in the hospitals of Al-Mansur Al-Kabir in Cairo. With a capacity of 8,000 beds, equipped with a mosque for Muslim patients and chapel for Christian patients. The hospital is equipped with a music therapy for patients suffering from mental disorders. Every day serving 4,000 patients. Services are provided without distinction as to race, color and religion of patients, without limit of time, until the patient is completely cured. In addition to obtaining care, drugs and free food, the patients were also given clothes and pocket money enough for treatment. The hospital serves over 7 centuries.

Third, excellency (ihsan) in the implementation of the management of health services, as the words of the Messenger of Allah, which means,

رَسُولِ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ: إِنَّ اللهَ كَتَبَ الإِحْسَانَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيءٍ. فَإِذَا قَتَلْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا القِتْلَةَ، وَإِذَا ذَبَحْتُمْ فَأَحْسِنُوا الذِّبْحَةَ، وَلْيُحِدَّ أَحَدُكُمْ شَفْرَتَهُ، وَلْيُرِحْ ذَبِيْحَتَهُ

"Verily Allah requires valid in all things charity. If you kill (execute Qisas) do it with ihsan. If you do it properly slaughtered / perfect." (Muslim).

That in this case the Caliph and its institutions shall be based on three principles: simplicity rules, speed of providing health care, and carried out by individuals who are capable and professional.

The three principles consequences on the availability of health human resources, health infrastructure is adequate and more easily accessible. There are adequate number of physicians from various specialties, midwives and nurses. And it is also available in full range of medical equipment, drugs and human beings what is needed to provide health care with the best service standards, in line with the principles of medical ethics in Islam.

These principles of state duty to provide public services willl become reality when we have Khilafah "Caliphate" State. So let us struggle for the reestablishment of the Khilafah "Caliphate".

 

Written for the Central Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir by
Iffah Ainur Rochmah
Spokeswoman of Hizb ut Tahrir in Indonesia