Indonesian Regency Launches 'Family Doctor' Homecare for Needy

The Jember Regency government in East Java, Indonesia, has introduced a 'family doctor' service under its Homecare program, specifically targeting residents facing financial hardship. This initiative aims to bring free medical assistance directly to the homes of vulnerable populations, making Jember potentially the first region in Indonesia with such a comprehensive homecare service.

Bupati Jember Muhammad Fawait explained that the program is designed to overcome barriers such as transportation costs and physical limitations. "So that the extremely poor, lonely elderly, people with disabilities, high-risk pregnant mothers, sufferers of chronic diseases, and even toddlers with stunting can get free medical treatment access directly at their homes," Fawait stated during the program's launch.

To support this ambitious project, Jember has deployed 50 Home Care vehicles, including 10 new units and 40 repurposed operational vehicles from regional government organizations. These vehicles are equipped with essential medical equipment like blood pressure monitors, blood glucose and cholesterol testing devices, basic health examination kits, and communication tools linked to an electronic medical record system.

The program integrates 1,000 healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, midwives, nutritionists, and community health workers from various community health centers (puskesmas). They will provide regular check-ups, wound care, medication administration, nutritional counseling, and ongoing patient monitoring. Furthermore, the initiative leverages telemedicine, allowing field healthcare workers to consult with specialists at hospitals if patients require advanced care, eliminating the need for patients to travel.

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So that the extremely poor, lonely elderly, people with disabilities, high-risk pregnant mothers, sufferers of chronic diseases, and even toddlers with stunting can get free medical treatment access directly at their homes.