Jakarta – Amid public pressure to enact the Social Insurers bill (BPJS), the government says the nation lacks the infrastructure to implement universal healthcare.

Coordinating People's Welfare Minister Agung Laksono said that speedy access to healthcare remained a major problem for people in remote areas.

"Sometimes the problem is that sick people have to go too far, three hours, for example, to reach the hospital. It can be very dangerous," he said at his office on Wednesday.

The minister's deputy for social welfare, Adang Setiana, said that the nation's healthcare infrastructure was just 50 percent ready to implement the universal coverage mandated by the 2004 Social Security Law. "We have yet to have adequate health infrastructure, especially in remote areas."

Adang said the Office of the Coordinating People's Welfare Minister, the Health Ministry and the Finance Ministry had plans to improve regional healthcare facilities.

"The government's top priority is to establish the amount of each citizen's health insurance, Adang said. "At the same time, we should also plan to build more hospitals and deploy more doctors to remote areas."

The Social Security Law stipulates that the government must establish non-profit bodies to implement five mandatory social insurance programs to be funded by beneficiary contributions covering healthcare, workplace accidents, death, old-age risks and pensions.

The BPJS bill is intended to establish a framework for the institutions that would administer the benefits.

The government has been criticized for its resistance to transform the four state-owned insurance companies – PT Jamsostek, PT Askes, PT Taspen and PT Asabri – into non-profit entities.

The government and the House of Representatives have recently agreed to form two new non-profit bodies alongside the four insurers to implement the programs. However, delays have motivated some groups to act to accelerate implementation of the Social Security Law.

An alliance of labor unions and students organizations under the aegis of the Action Committee for Social Security (KAJS) filed a citizen lawsuit against President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Vice President Boediono, House of Representatives speaker Marzuki Alie and eight ministries for delaying approval of the bill.

The Central Jakarta District Court on Wednesday granted the plaintiffs' demands, saying that the government has neglected the law's mandate to implement the programs.

The court urged the government to endorse the bill as soon as possible and to transform the four state insurers into non-profit bodies. "This is a boon for all Indonesians since the verdict would guarantee healthcare benefits for all," KAJS chair Indra Musawar said as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

Agung said the government was considering an appeal, given that it had done its best. "The judges' decisions might be wrong," he said.

The verdict would not affect progress on the approval of the BPJS bill or on creating the social security framework, he added. "The four state insurers that provide social security benefits for civil servants and workers in formal sectors will not be merged," he said. (lfr)