Jakarta – The government continues to strengthen the foundation of health services at the grassroots level by launching the Village Pharmacy Program as an effort to ensure the availability of essential medicines throughout the country. This initiative is designed to address the challenge of inequality in access to medicines, especially in remote, rural, and underdeveloped areas.
The General Chairperson of the Central Board of the Indonesian Pharmacists Association (PP IAI), apt Noffendri Roestam, stated that the Village Pharmacy Program is a real effort to bridge the gap in pharmaceutical services between urban and rural areas.
“The presence of pharmacists in the service system at the village level has the potential to be the spearhead in providing education to the community regarding the proper and responsible use of drugs,” said Noffendri.
According to him, this step is considered crucial to suppress the level of drug abuse and build public understanding about the importance of consulting before consuming drugs. This program is part of a national strategy to improve public health through strengthening the primary service system.
“Village Pharmacies are not only drug distribution points, but also centers for education and basic pharmaceutical services that are integrated with local needs,” he explained.
Meanwhile, the Head of the Sleman Yogyakarta Health Office, dr. Cahya Purnama, M.Kes said that the Village Pharmacy and Clinic Program as part of the Red and White Village Cooperative is expected to be a model for strengthening integrated, affordable, and sustainable health services at the village level.
“The Sleman District Health Office is committed to continuing to provide cross-sector technical support in assisting the planning process to the operationalization of this service,” he said.
The local government plays a major role in the success of this program. Collaboration between local health offices, health centers, village officials, and strategic partners such as cooperatives and civil society organizations is the main support in the establishment and operation of Village Pharmacies. Through the Village Pharmacy Program, the government wants to ensure that the national essential drug list is consistently available at the village level.
With integrated management with first-level health facilities such as community health centers and village clinics, the existence of this pharmacy is a link between the national health system and the direct needs of village residents.
Distribution of essential medicines has been one of the major challenges in the national health system. Medicines included in the essential list are the types most needed to treat common and urgent diseases, such as infections, hypertension, diabetes, and respiratory diseases. Fair and guaranteed access to essential medicines is a primary prerequisite in realizing a universal health system.
