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Digitalization. A Transformation in Health System

"Digitizing the health system is an effort to accelerate equity and reduce disparities in health services. However, digitalization needs to be accompanied by a reliable internet connection, digital literacy, and personal data security." After proposing the idea of BPJS for affluent individuals at the end of last year, The Health Minister of Indonesia, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, has recently made a surprising move. Since March 1, 2023, the popular PeduliLindungi application used during the Covid-19 pandemic is now integrated into the Satu Sehat platform as of March 1, 2023. This integration was previously prepared by the Ministry of Health. The integration of these two applications is intended to enhance Indonesia's health resilience among millennials. The Satu Sehat platform links different applications relevant to healthcare, including government and private hospitals, health centers, posyandu, laboratories, clinics, and pharmacies.

Eid Blessing and Social Change

Soon, the holy month of Ramadan will come to an end, and Eid al-Fitr will be welcomed. Having observed the month-long fast and other religious activities, one might wonder how to measure their success. The answer lies in fulfilling the obligations of fasting for the entire month, except for those who are sick or unable to fast, and continuing with other mandatory worship, such as daily prayers, sunnah worship such as Tarawih, and paying zakat. This measure of success is based on the framework of fiqh, or the Islamic law. Adhering to all the obligations and striving to fulfill the suggested acts is the foundation of the religion, including fasting during the month of Ramadan. However, this answer does not consider the social or muamalah aspect of fasting. Simply abstaining from food and drink from dawn to dusk does not make a fast complete or of good quality. The fast itself may be valid, not invalidated, but of very minimal quality, only passing a passing grade.

Ramadan Fasting and Evidence Based Medicine

In fiqh or Islamic law, fasting during the month of Ramadan is an obligation for Muslims as it is stated in Surah Al-Baqarah verse 183, which was revealed over 1400 years ago in the second year of Hijriah. Thus, for 14 centuries Muslims have carried out the obligation to fast in Ramadan. However, fasting as a culture is much older than Islam itself. Several highly civilized ancient nations, such as the Romans, Egyptians or Chinese, had the habit of fasting for various purposes, including as a form of cultural ritual or belief. During the 20th century,  medical and health scientists conducted numerous studies that demonstrated the health benefits of fasting.  These medical studies contributed to the development of Evidence Based Medicine (EBM).

Ramadan Fasting. Blessing and Health

Muslims around the world are currently observing the holy month of Ramadan with gratitude to Allah SWT. Even though the status of the Covid-19 pandemic has not been officially declared over, the situation is getting better. This time, we are allowed to perform tarawih prayers in congregation, tadarus and iktikaf at the mosque, and are no longer obliged to wear masks. The coverage of the first booster vaccination has reached around 75%, the second booster is around 68%, and approximately three million people having received the third, so it is much safer because herd immunity has been achieved. These are all the blessing of Allah SWT for which we Muslims are grateful. Fasting during Ramadan is an obligation for Muslims, as stated in Surah Al-Baqarah verse 183: "O you who have believed, fasting is prescribed upon you, as it was prescribed upon those before you, so that you may be pious".

Joint Healthcare Provision to Patch Up BPJS Shortfall

The government must rearrange its regulations properly with an aim of preventing the tendency of insurance companies to implement adverse selection. Some time ago, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin raised the idea of a special health insurance package for the wealthy provided by the Healthcare and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan). The idea duly drew pros and cons. The suggested special BPJS health insurance for the wealthy is a package that, as expected, involves private insurers providing joint medical coverage. Kompas has published at least four opinion articles responding to the Health Minister's idea, which he put forward during a work meeting with the House of Representatives (DPR) at the end of 2022.