There are three cancer diseases with the highest prevalence in Indonesia in 2020, namely breast cancer, cervical cancer, and lung cancer. The problem of unequal access to health for cancer treatment in Indonesia has yet to be solved by the government. Although JKN has covered treatment and care for cancer patients, not all types of cancer drugs are covered by JKN. This causes patients and their families to experience financial burden or health out-of-pocket (OOP).

JKN has arranged for catastrophic cost assistance, but it does not cover the full range of drugs and targeted therapies. Cancer patients also have to seek treatment outside their domicile due to inadequate health facilities to treat cancer in their area.

There is no policy that regulates palliative care carried out by informal caregivers, even though their role is very important in supporting the treatment and care of cancer patients.

So what should policy makers do to address this issue? Find out in Policy Brief 41 - Cancer Patients and Their Families Bear the Brunt of Out-of-pocket Cost: A Stumbling block for UHC in Indonesia?.