Oleh Didik Purwondanu*

After obtaining a Social Security Administering Body (BPJS) Health membership card last April, 160 disabled people in West Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara Province are now starting to use the magic card to obtain free treatment. Marwiyah is one of them.

The resident of Bagek Polak Village looked enthusiastic when telling about his experience of having surgery at the West Lombok Regional General Hospital (RSUD) using the BPJS Health card he had recently received. Marwiyah said, on September 21 2016, he was supposed to host a meeting with fellow disabled activists. forced to be absent. Accompanied by her husband, Abdul Hamid, who is just a farm worker, Marwiyah checked her health condition, which was deteriorating due to breast cancer, at the local health center. From there, Marwiyah was immediately referred to West Lombok Regional Hospital for further treatment. In less than 24 hours, the operation to remove the lump on Marwiyah’s left chest was successfully carried out.

“On September 22, a lump in my chest the size of a small meatball was removed. The operation cost was around Rp. 15 million. But, because I used a BPJS Health card, I didn’t incur any costs,” said the woman with a physical disability.

Marwiyah is not the only disabled person who has used the BPJS Health card. There are also Misna and Heri.

Every time her allergies recur, Misna always comes to the community health center for treatment. “Every time I have itching, I always go to the community health center for treatment. “I’ve had free treatment four times,” said the woman with a physical disability.

Heri, who is also a disabled person, has also felt the benefits of using a BPJS Health card. When his wife gave birth via Caesarean section, he didn’t spend any money at all.

Marwiyah, Misnah, and Heri are just three of hundreds of disabled people and families who have received and utilized BPJS Health cards in the Contribution Free Participant (PBI) category from the West Lombok Regency Government.

“As of the end of September 2016, there were more than 800 disabled people and families in Labuapi District and Lingsar District who received BPJS Health cards in the PBI category,” said Labuapi Disability Potential Development Center (P3D) Coordinator Khalid.

This achievement occurred thanks to the persistence of disabled activists who are members of the Lingsar Bermobil Disability Group (KDLB) and the Labuapi Disability Potential Development Center (P3D)^[1] in advocating for local regional governments. Membership fees for disabled people and families in BPJS Health are fully paid by the West Lombok Regency Government through its Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBD).

*) The author is the Manager of the PATTIRO Disability Pillar Care Program
Penyunting: Ega Rosalina

[1] These two disabled organizations have been assisted by PATTIRO since 2015 through the Pillar Disability Care Program.