Time to overhaul RI's public health system

Abstract

In their campaigns, our three presidential candidates have largely concentrated on economic issues, including macro and micro economics, but we need to remember that the nation is also facing other no less urgent issues such as the health of the population. It is disappointing that so far the three candidates have only focused a little on their health platforms. Many cases have emerged recently relating to issues of public health. For example, the report on food and drinking water poisoning at some schools resulting from hygiene and sanitation issues. Based on the Yogyakarta-based Gadjah Mada University (UGM) research in 2009, catering services were involved in 65 percent of reported cases of food poisoning, followed by small scale food industries (19 percent) and household foods (16 percent)..