Jakarta – The Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) has taken down a Facebook post featuring a photo of Joker, a character in a movie with the same name who is pushed to violence after struggling with mental health issues, following criticism from mental health communities.
The post was made to encourage people with mental health disorders (ODGJ) to use the national health insurance program's Healthy Indonesia Card (JKN-KIS).
"[Use] the JKN-KIS service [...] to avoid the birth of other Jokers," the post said. Critics claim the message could be misconstrued and create a negative misconception about people suffering from mental disorders.
Meidy, a representative of mental health care organization SEJIWA, argued that only people with antisocial or narcissistic personality disorders have the tendency to turn into criminals. "It can even be prevented with therapy," Meidy said as quoted by kompas.com.
A number of mental healthcare communities reportedly criticized the agency and urged it to take down the Facebook post. They also asked BPJS Kesehatan to issue a public apology for it.
The agency's spokesperson, M. Iqbal Anas Ma'ruf, said the post had been deleted to avoid further misconceptions. He assured that BPJS Kesehatan was "on the same page as mental healthcare communities". (vny)