TEMPO.CO, Jakarta-Prof dr. Hasbullah Thabrany, chairman of the Center for Economic and Policy Studies at the University of Indonesia's Faculty of Public Health, said there are still difficulties to access medicines in Indonesia, especially for the state's National Health Insurance (JKN) program.
Hasbullah said some of the roots of the problems include the asymmetric information about patients and doctors' needs and wishes. Another issue is the distortion of understanding about "generic" vs. "patent" drugs that makes people think of a patented drug is identical to trade marks or brands.
Another problem, he said, is a distorted ideology regarding Fornas, capitation, and the CBG, as well as problems in the policy and procurement of medications that cause moral hazards and frauds.
Limited access to medicine for patients is one of the things that are most complained about regarding the JKN. This is ironic since the JKN program should make things easier for patients to access the drugs that they needed.
"Basically, JKN is a public program that ensures patients get the medicine they need; in which a doctor makes a diagnosis and determine what medication the patients need—generic or patent. In many cases, and this is a problem, there is this notion that patented drugs work better than generic drugs," he spoke in a public titled "Access to medicine" in Jakarta Thursday, April 21.
Therefore, he said, Fornas serve as a "guide" that is inseparable from the JKN. However, if the health risks are bigger, doctors should not have to refer to Fornas. He recommends separating the Fornas from the package for acute medicine. He also suggests the drug policy in Fornas be made available in health facilities.
"FORNAS drugs should be available in Indonesia. And it is the responsibility of the Health Ministry. If no one is producing them, or if there are inefficiencies, then the government must subsidize," he said.
