BATAMCLICK.COM: In the daily struggle to make ends meet, health is often taken for granted—until illness comes knocking. In the city of Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands Province, many underprivileged residents still live without any form of health insurance, even though the opportunity for free coverage remains wide open.
Rustam, Head of the Tanjungpinang Health Department, is urging low-income residents to register as recipients of the BPJS Health Insurance Contribution Assistance (PBI) scheme, which is funded by the government.
“We still have quotas available for eligible residents. Please don’t wait until you’re hospitalized before registering,” Rustam said on Tuesday.
Based on a recent evaluation with BPJS Health Tanjungpinang Branch, 3,255 participants previously covered by the city budget have now been transferred to the national PBI scheme. However, due to a verification process, 1,381 of them were deactivated, creating space for new eligible applicants.
Additionally, the Riau Islands Provincial Government has allocated 443 spots from its PBI quota for Tanjungpinang residents, and will add another 3,590 for 2025.
By the end of 2024, 228,397 residents or 95.48% of Tanjungpinang’s population were already covered by BPJS Health. Though the coverage is high, Rustam emphasized the importance of reaching the remaining 4.52%—especially those from vulnerable groups.
“Health protection is everyone’s right. We hope people will take advantage of the remaining quotas. Don’t wait for a tragedy to realize the importance of insurance,” he added.
Local government leaders—including village heads, neighborhood chiefs, and community representatives—are also being encouraged to spread this information widely. Because when it comes to health, it’s not just about treatment, it’s about preserving dignity from the very beginning.
