Free healthcare available for non-Jakarta ID card holders

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Sat, 01/09/2010 9:34 PM | Jakarta

Thousands of poor people who live in the capital city but do not hold Jakarta ID cards will be eligible for free healthcare under the government-sponsored community health insurance, or Jamkesmas.

Head of the city health agency Dien Emawati said Saturday the Jakarta governor and the health minister were discussing financial scheme of the free healthcare program for the unregistered residents.

“Hopefully the memorandum of understanding on the cooperation will be signed next month,” Dien told kompas.com.

Many poor people have been denied access to free healthcare as they do not hold Jakarta ID cards and are therefore exempted from the poor family health safety net scheme. The undocumented poor Jakarta residents mostly live in slump areas and river banks.

Dien said free healthcare for non-Jakarta ID card holders would be covered by the Jamkesmas funds that would be extended directly to 22 partner hospitals across the city.

Under the free healthcare scheme, the poor people are entitled to treatment in the third class ward in the partner hospitals.