By: Joshua Afrido )*
The Village Pharmacy Program is now one of the government’s leading initiatives in improving access to public health services in rural areas. Amidst geographical challenges and limited medical facilities in many remote areas, the presence of Village Pharmacies provides new hope for residents to obtain medicines and pharmaceutical services that are more easily accessible. This program is designed to shorten the drug distribution chain while ensuring the availability of essential medicines at the village level. That way, people no longer need to travel far to the city center just to get basic medicines.
In its implementation, Village Pharmacies are managed by trained pharmacists who work together with the nearest health center or health facility. Some Village Pharmacies are even directly integrated with integrated health posts and village clinics, so that they are able to provide comprehensive basic health services. The central government through the Ministry of Health provides support in the form of training, drug procurement, and quality control, so that the services provided are in accordance with standards. The availability of generic drugs, simple medical devices, and health information are top priorities.
The General Chairperson of the Central Board of the Indonesian Pharmacists Association (PP IAI), apt Noffendri Roestam explained that the Village Pharmacy Program is a concrete step to overcome the disparity in pharmaceutical services between cities and villages. He added that the involvement of pharmacists in the service system in villages can be the vanguard in educating the public regarding the rational use of drugs. This is very important to reduce the number of drug abuse and increase public awareness about the importance of consultation before using drugs.
In addition to direct benefits for public health, Village Pharmacies also open up new jobs in the regions. With pharmacies that are independently managed by local workers, villages have the potential to develop sustainable health service business units. The existence of Village Pharmacies not only involves pharmacists, but also opens up job opportunities for pharmaceutical assistants, administrative staff, and health cadres who help in the promotion and education of the correct use of drugs. This model also drives the local economy because it encourages the emergence of supporting sectors such as logistics, procurement of medical devices, and workforce training. In the long term, villages that have an independent pharmaceutical service system will be better prepared to face public health challenges, while strengthening their position as centers of economic growth based on social services.
Chairperson of the PP-IAI Public Health Pharmacy Seminary Association, Maria Ulfah, added that the program is an extraordinary momentum to fulfill the need for pharmacists in health centers. This is because, based on research conducted in 2023, only 68 percent of the 10,300 health centers have pharmacists. The rest are still filled by Pharmacy Vocational Personnel (TVF) or other health workers.
Meanwhile, challenges in implementing Village Pharmacies remain, ranging from limited pharmaceutical human resources in remote areas, logistical problems in drug procurement, to drug distribution regulations that are sometimes not uniform. However, the government is not sitting idly by. Various forms of incentives are given to pharmacy personnel who are willing to work in villages, including special allowances and opportunities to develop careers in the regions. The government has also begun to develop a digitalization system for managing stock and ordering drugs to make it more transparent and efficient.
Community participation is the key to the success of this program. By involving health cadres, village officials, and local organizations, Village Pharmacies are able to adapt to the social and cultural conditions of the local community. In fact, in some areas, the community has independently contributed to the construction of physical pharmacy buildings and the procurement of medical devices. This form of participation shows that the community has directly felt the benefits of the presence of the Village Pharmacy.
On the other hand, the National Presidium of the United Indonesian Pharmacists (FIB), Ismail said that the synergy between the government, health workers, and the community is an important foundation in strengthening the national health system. The Village Pharmacy is not only about providing medicine, but also a symbol of equitable and just health services. Full support from all parties will make this program one of the important milestones in efforts to realize a healthy Indonesia from the village.
The Village Pharmacy Program has proven its strategic role in expanding access to equitable and equitable health services to remote areas of the country. With a community-based approach and cross-sector support, this initiative is able to answer the challenges of limited distribution of drugs and pharmaceutical services in rural areas. This breakthrough is not onlyyes, increasing the availability of essential medicines, but also strengthening the capacity of local health workers and shortening the chain of medical services that were previously centralized in cities.
The success of the Village Pharmacy depends on active collaboration between the central and regional governments, health workers, and community participation. The existing challenges can still be overcome with affirmative policies, system digitalization, and targeted training and incentives. If managed sustainably and consistently, the Village Pharmacy will be an important foundation in building the resilience of the national health system from the grassroots, towards a healthier, more inclusive, and more equitable Indonesia.
)* The author is a student living in Bandung
