‘Bahagia’ Constituent Group Ensures Poor People Receive BPJS Health Protection in South Sulawesi

My name is Nurjannah (45). I am a housewife in Watang Soreang Hamlet, Soreang Sub-district, Parepare City, South Sulawesi. In addition to taking care of my husband and children, I also become the member of the “Bahagia” Constituent Group.

Since the formation of the constituent group in Watang Soreang Village, I have been attending various strengthening training led by MAMPU in partnership with YLP2EM Parepare. This activity provides critical awareness to me, especially at the time of mentoring and technical assistance for the constituent group strengthening about BPJS Health.

I realise that in my neighborhood, there are still many people who have not been integrated into the recipient of government’s social security and protection (BPJS) – Beneficiaries of Contribution (PBI) from Regional Revenue and Expenditure (APBD). This is reinforced by complaints which coming into the Constituent Group about this matter.

I also realise that the government is obliged to provide social security to the poor. When public unrest arises in relation to unclear information, such as: end of the membership registration of the Integrated Beneficiary Health Assurance Security, the full quota in the Health Office, or if regional health security (Jamkesda) would no longer be applied, The Bahagia Constituent Group plays an important role to mediate the public to answer all these unrest.

On March 2016, the constituent group data and information section and I, took the initiative to collect data of poor people who had not been registered as participants of BPJS PBI. From the data collection, it was found that in RW 02 there were 35 Head of Family (KK), RW 03 – 37 families, RW 04 – 56 families, and RW 05 – 41 families, who had not registered yet. Completeness of data from the poor was then submitted to the Health Office.

This was in accordance with the guidelines received by our Constituent Group from the companions and agreements with the Health Office during the Policy Advocacy Workshop on BPJS and National Health Insurance (JKN), as well as the management and handling of community complaints. However, Parepare quota for BPJS PBI membership was full. This was a challenge for us because there were still many poor people who had not been registered.

At the beginning of October 2016, the first health insurance card was issued for as many as 410 recipients and the second stage was 1,580 recipients in Watang Soreang hamlet, and then 3,904 recipients.

Bahagia Constituent Group saw many citizens who have two membership cards. Therefore, we tried to meet the Health Office, PKM Cempae, and BPJS Health to discuss the number of people who have double cards, while there were still poor people who deserved to get the BPJS – PBI card, but not yet registered.

Health Office and BPJS Health customer section said that for people who had Indonesia Health Card (KIS) and BPJS-PBI APBD, simply used the KIS Card only. The BPJS cards were subsequently withdrawn, then transferred to unregistered residents, especially for the poor. After getting the answer from the Health Office and BPJS Health, the constituent group collected dual membership cards to be converted into BPJS PBI-APBD recipients from data they have submitted to the Health Office. Currently the number of poor people who have received BPJS Health card PBI-APBD was 169 recipients.

The impact of this effort was we can help the poor women, because they were no longer burdened with medical expenses when they were treated at community health center or hospital.

Currently the Bahagia Constituent Group is known to the public as a mediator for complaint for the poor people in Watang Soreang Hamplet. The Constituent Group constituency is always quick in following up on community complaints. It really benefits people around the Constituent Group in Watang Soreang.

My hope is that the MAMPU program will always help us to strengthen the women to motivate  others to be more sensitive to what is happening around us. We also hope that through MAMPU program, it can bring our representatives in the regional house of representative (DPRD) closer to us, and give more attention to poor women.

I also hope that what we do through Constituent Group can be a good medium to influence other women to be more sensitive and critical in looking at the problems of the poor, especially women who have multiple burdens in the family.

Written by: Nurjannah (“Bahagia” Constituent Group member)