The issue of health services is still a public concern and has even become a polemic in terms of the implementation of health services to health insurance which is supposed to be a right for the community. It also intersects with government policies that regulate health services. In this case, a Lecturer in the Government Science Study Program of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Eko Priyo Purnomo, S.IP., M.Si., M.Res., Ph.D as a researcher from Cambrige University conducted research on the ASEAN Development Outlook Research Project on health service policies in ASEAN member countries. The research, which was conducted by the UMY Government Science Study Program lecturer, involved two universities as research partners, namely Thamasat University in Thailand and Mundane State University, Philippines.
Eko Priyo Purnomo stated that the research, which was held by the University of Cambridge, consisted of two research sessions. The first research session discussed health facility policies in ASEAN countries, especially in Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand. “This study discusses how the relationship between GNP and GDP in ASEAN countries, then looks at whether ASEAN countries that have GNP and GDP have the same or different health facilities. Next, we research how the health facility providers in ASEAN are, and how is the quality of life for people in ASEAN countries. Some of the things that become the focus of this research are the relationship of opinion and the population and talking about how countries in ASEAN deal with diseases, disasters, and the budget allocations of several countries, whether the budget allocations are carried out in accordance with those allocated in several ASEAN countries, “he explained when contacted on Wednesday (5/8).
Eko also added that in this study, he also discussed how to design finances and budget allocations in the health sector, and observes the health insurance policies in each ASEAN member country. “The results of this study are that Filipinos currently tend to live longer than the previous decade, with life expectancy at birth increasing from 62.2 years in 1980 to 72.56 years in 2017. This is mainly due to the improvement of living conditions, better access to health services, and improved management and treatment of infectious diseases. However, Filipinos now bear three times the burden of disease,” he explained.
In addition, Eko found that the fast population growth rate in Indonesia must be balanced with initial preparations to prevent various problems, one of which is related to the problem of health insurance. “In this case, the government is an actor who plays a vital role in the health of its citizens, namely in overcoming and ensuring health. Furthermore, Thailand has been praised by various countries around the world for successfully implementing universal health care coverage for all citizens with comprehensive health service coverage with low cost or financial risk protection,” he added.
The results of this research will then be published by the University of Cambridge in the form of journals and books which are then sent to the ASEAN Secretariat. (Sofia)
