REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) laid emphasis here on Wednesday that 50 percent of the receipts from cigarette excise must be directed for health services. He said the law had mandated that 50 percent of the cigarette excise must be used for services linked to health.

"BPJS Kesehatan (health insurance) suffered a deficit that must be covered. Public health service, no matter how much, must be given as best as it could, so the deficit must be covered partly from the cigarette excise," he stated.

Jokowi said he had ordered the development and financial comproller BPKP to check the financial condition of BPJS Kesehatan. "This is procedure. Accountability must be ensured," he noted.

Jokowi said he had also ordered the president director and board of directors of BPJS Kesehatan to improve all its systems, including the verification of claims. "BPJS Kesehatan covers central to district and city levels across the country. It is not easy controlling and monitoring claims from hospitals. It is not easy," he emphasized.