Nearly 20 years after the enactment of the Law Number 21 of 2001 concerning Special Autonomy for Papua Province. To increase the level of welfare and economic development of the people in Papua and West Papua, the government of Indonesia has disbursed special autonomy funds.
The fund is a grant given by the central government to certain provincial governments as special autonomy status. Mentioned in the financial note along with the 2020 National Budget (APBN), Papua’s special autonomy funds are mainly used for funding education and health development.
The Allocation of Papua’s Special Autonomy Funds
The value of the special autonomy fund for Papua in 2015 was IDR 4.9 trillion and IDR 2.1 trillion for West Papua. The fund will continue to be increased until 2020 to IDR 5.9 trillion for Papua and IDR 2.5 trillion for West Papua.
The provision of special autonomy funds contributes significantly to Papua’s regional revenues. IDR 13.9 trillion is the total amount of the Papua Regional Government Budget (APBD) in 2019. Approximately 93 percent of it is supported by special autonomy funds.
Aimed at financing education and health development, as well as supporting infrastructure, the management of these funds is a special authority given to the Papua Province to regulate and manage the interests of the local community according to their initiatives, based on the aspirations and basic rights of the Papuan people, such as:
- Joint Program. In 2019, as much as a third of Papua’s special autonomy funds were allocated to joint programs between the province and the district, used to carry out programs in education, such as providing superior scholarships. Also, there are programs to improve public health, housing, religion, and social protection.
- Special Initiative Programs. About two-thirds of the special autonomy fund is used for provincial or regional special initiative programs.
The funds are distributed to the district and city levels. Each region uses the funds to run real programs generated from the initiatives and needs of residents.
Successfully Assist the Health Development in Papua and West Papua
The special autonomy funds are divided into various sectors; Economy by 25 percent, education by 30 percent, infrastructure 20 percent, and health by 15 percent. Between 2002 and 2016, the total funds collected were IDR 47.9 trillion. At least IDR 7.18 trillion has been channeled to improve Papua’s health in the last 15 years. The following are several steps by the Health Services and the Government:
Upgrade the Hospital
In 2014, the governor of Papua issued a policy related to the health development through upgrading several hospitals in Papua and West Papua from type C to type B. Nabire Hospital, for example, received a budget of more than IDR 10 billion for the development of the hospital, including to complete the medical equipment so Papuan people are no longer found difficult to get health services.
Collaborates with KOMPAK
West Papua collaborates with non-governmental organizations (NGO) named KOMPAK (Kolaborasi Masyarakat dan Pelayanan untuk Kesejahteraan) to optimize the beneficiaries of special autonomy funds in rural areas.
KOMPAK is funded by the Australian Government to support the Government of Indonesia in achieving its targets of reducing poverty and addressing inequalities.
Starting in January 2020, the management of the special autonomy funds in each village will be closely monitored in a program called Prosspek. Kompak will later prepare and equip the assistants. One village will be under guard by three Facilitators, one each from the village and district.
Prosspek Facilitators will oversee the management of the Special Autonomy funds from the planning, implementation, to reporting processes. Through this program, it is highly expected that the special autonomy funds and village funds will support each other to accelerate health development at the village level.
Community Health Centre (Puskesmas) Accreditation Efforts with KOMPAK
Since 2016, the West Papua Provincial Health Officer and the District Health Office together with KOMPAK side by side are making several joint efforts in health development to improve the basic health care governance in community health centers or Puskesmas.
Review and training of Puskesmas Accreditation Implementation, including internal audit and drafting the SOP of health public sector services held in 2016 and 2017 at Manokwari. While the Workshop on Strengthening Health Center Accreditation and FKTP Accreditation Assistance Training was held in Sorong, in 2018 and 2020.
Those activities facilitated by KOMPAK, synergize with other activities sourced from the Provincial or Regency Regional Government Budget (APBD ) and National Budget (APBN).
Health Development in Papua Province
In 2017 the quality of Papua’s HDI had an increase of 1,64 percent (increased from 58.6 from 2017-2018). The Papua Provincial Government has allocated 80 percent of the Otsus fund for the health sector.
Even though the maternal and child mortality rates in Papua have decreased, each regional head still has to mobilize the available health personnel.
Health development in Papua and West Papua happened and was successful, especially with the support of special autonomy funds. But the recruitment of health workers was considered very necessary. Therefore, the Papuan Regents should accept the program promoted by the Papua Health Office.
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