The Role, Relevance, and Potential of Comprehensive Primary Healthcare in the Indonesian Health System Rukmi Sito1,2,* 1Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University, Australia 2Directorate of Family Health, Ministry of Health, Indonesia *Corresponding author: Sito Rukmi E-mail: sitorukmi.fkm@gmail.com
Online published on 4 June, 2019. Abstract The Indonesian government has significantly improved its health system in the last three decades and has made significant efforts to provide health services to the Indonesian population. However, the health status of the population varies due to different socio-economic circumstances. Disparities in health outcomes exist between urban and rural areas and the western and eastern parts of the country. Implementing a health system based on comprehensive primary healthcare (CPHC) will significantly improve the health of the Indonesian population because this approach includes participation of empowered communities and multisectoral action in addressing the determinants of health. This paper aims to describe the implementation of CPHC, discuss the barriers to and enabling factors for its implementation, and highlight the benefits of implementing CPHC in Indonesia. A systematic search strategy was applied to various databases to obtain the facilitating and constraining factors in relation to the implementation of CPHC. The national health development programme in Indonesia is based on the concept of primary healthcare, with Puskesmas (community health centres) as the core health service facilities. Some challenges noted for the potential implementation of CPHC include geographical disparities, demographic and epidemiological transitions, decentralisation, inadequate resources and technology, poor health financing, poor community participation, and low levels of empowerment. Measures need to be taken to support the implementation of CPHC, including increasing the capacity of local government; defining clear roles of public, private, and voluntary workers; defining clear roles of civil society; maintaining a high level of political commitment to sustaining community health facilities; having the appropriate technology; improving the capabilities of community health workers; and collaborating with private sectors. Top Keywords Comprehensive primary healthcare, Indonesia, barrier, enabling. Top |