Denpadar (Antara Bali) - The Regional Representatives Council (DPD) has hailed Bali province's free health service program (JKBM), Bali Governor Made Mangku Pastika said.
"A total of 15 DPD members hailed the program. They, who came to Bali to gather inputs for the drawing of a law on national social insurance, were surprised to learn that Bali already had a program of that kind," the governor said here on Sunday.
The governor said that although the Regional Budget (APBD) funds were limited, yet Bali was able to set aside an amount for health services and it was able carry out the program.
"We hope that ahead we could improve the program and and increase its implementation," the governor said.
The regional government of Bali allocated a fund of Rp127 billion to support the free health service program in 2010. The funds increased five folds from that a year earlier which stood at Rp27 billion.
The allocation accounted for 13.5 percent of the APBD. Ideally, based on the law, the allocation of fund from the APBD is about five percent.
Governor Pastika said that his side allocated a relatively big amount of funds in an effort to show the regional government's high commitment to providing health services for the people.(*)
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