The Health Bill: Transforming Healthcare Services and Addressing Indonesia's Health Issues
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VIVA English – The Health Bill is a concrete effort by the Indonesian government and parliament to provide more equitable, quality, and affordable healthcare services to all Indonesians.
This legislation is expected to provide a strong legal basis for regulating Indonesia's healthcare system, which has been characterized by disparities and uneven access to healthcare services, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to Sundoyo, the Health Ministry's legal advisor, the Health Bill is an initiative of the parliament that utilizes an omnibus law method. As a result, the Health Bill can contain new substantive provisions, amend similar laws, and repeal equivalent laws.
"There are 13 laws that will be affected, with 9 laws to be repealed and the rest to be revised. This is because there are overlapping provisions between one law and another," he said during a Dialog FMB9 that addressed the theme of "Transforming Indonesia's Healthcare Services: The Health Bill" on Monday (3/4).
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Several laws that will be included in the Health Bill revision using the omnibus mechanism are Law No. 38 of 2014 on Nursing, Law No. 4 of 2019 on Midwifery, and Law No. 29 of 2004 on Medical Practice.
According to Sundoyo, the complex health problems in Indonesia require a comprehensive solution, ranging from meeting the needs of healthcare personnel, facilities and infrastructure, to the pharmaceutical industry.
"Pharmaceuticals are also an important issue in the Health Bill. Currently, 90 percent of drug raw materials are still imported, so self-sufficiency in this area must be increased," he stressed.
On the other hand, Ahmad Redi, the Executive Director of the Jurist Institute College, revealed that there are 15 laws in healthcare regulations that contain potential norm conflicts and implementation issues.
"Indonesia is known to have complex and convoluted regulations, making it difficult to achieve optimal healthcare service quality. Therefore, the Health Bill is a good initiative by the parliament and government," he continued.
In his view, the Health Bill could facilitate licensing, the establishment of medical study programs, and the distribution of more equitable healthcare facilities, especially outside of Java.
