TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The tone of President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo’s voice suddenly increased when talked about the deficit suffered by the Healthcare and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) during his speech in the opening of Congress of the Indonesia Hospitals Association. Jokowi assessed Health Minister and BPJS president director should handle the deficit issue by themselves.

Jokowi cautioned Health Minister Nila Moeloek and BPJS president director Fahmi Idris to solve the issue next year without asking for a solution from the President considering the problem had run for three years.

“How come every year [they] ask for a solution. It must be completed by the Health Minister and BPJS director. This is indeed kebangetan [bad] to complain about the hospital debt issue to the President. If it re-occurs next year, it is kebangeten [extremely bad],” said Jokowi in Jakarta Convention Center, Wednesday, Oct. 17.

Earlier, the government had sent Rp4.9 trillion to cover BPJS Kesehatan deficit. The figure was based on the arrears to hospitals until July 2018.

Jokowi expressed his disappointment towards BPJS Kesehatan as the agency deemed the amount was not enough. Jokowi remarked BPJS Kesehatan should improve its management system, rather than asking for government’s help.

“I often scold the BPJS director in my mind, but I cannot show it [ to him, because I understand] this state-scale management is not easy. But, if the system is right, this could be a simple thing,” Jokowi concluded.

AHMAD FAIZ IBNU SANI