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BPJS Kesehatan symbolically handed over sembako, or food staples packages, for flood victims to the West Kalimantan provincial government on Friday (November 26, 2021). (Antara/HO-BPJS Kesehatan/FR) - 

Healthcare and social security agency BPJS Kesehatan has provided aid in the form of sembako, or staple food packages, for flood victims in West Kalimantan, the agency's secretary, Arief Syaefuddin, has informed.

In a statement received here on Saturday, he said that the agency has expressed its sympathy to local residents for the tragedy that befell them as a result of the flood.

"As a form of our compassion toward the people who were impacted by this disaster, BPJS Kesehatan has provided aid in the form of one thousand packages of sembako," he informed.

"In terms of quantity, this may not be much, but this aid is expected to be able to alleviate the burden on the people affected by this disaster," he affirmed.

The sembako was symbolically handed over to the West Kalimantan provincial government on Friday, he said.

BPJS Kesehatan will leave it up to the provincial government to decide how the sembako is to be utilized since the government better understands the characteristics of the province and knows which areas require the aid, Syaefuddin added.

"Let us hope that the flood disaster that happened in West Kalimantan could completely diminish so that the people's activity can return to normal," he remarked after symbolically handing over the aid.

Meanwhile, BPJS Kesehatan's direction deputy for Banten, West Kalimantan, and Lampung, Lisa Nurena, assured that the services for National Health Insurance and Healthy Indonesia Card (JKN-KIS) members have continued to operate optimally.

Despite several branch offices shutting down on account of the flood, members could still access JKN-KIS services, she informed.

"Not just live services, JKN-KIS members could also access BPJS Kesehatan's digital service through Mobile JKN, administration service through Whatsapp (PANDAWA), Chat Assistant JKN (CHIKA) and BPJS Kesehatan Care Center 165," Nurena said.

During the aid handing event, West Kalimantan Governor Sutarmidji expressed his gratitude for the aid provided for people impacted by the flood.

"Regarding the distribution process, it will be distributed to regions that still require it such as Kapuas Hulu that is still experiencing severe flooding. Hopefully, the aid would be beneficial for the recipients," he remarked//ANT