JKN covers screening exams for early breast and cervical cancer detection

The National Health Insurance (JKN) program managed under the Social Security Management Agency (BPJS) Health sector is covering screening exams for the early detection of breast and cervical cancer.

“The JKN program carried out by BPJS Health has covered early detection breast and cervical cancer screening, comprising acetic acid tests (IVAs), pap smear tests and cryotherapy. The screening exams are carried out once every five years,” the Health Ministry’s non-communicable disease control director, Ekowati Rahajeng, said in a press statement made available to The Jakarta Post on Thursday.

She said such coverage was part of the government’s awareness program for controlling cancer in Indonesia by providing all people with access to early detection screenings.

“Finding cancer earlier through early detection can not only increase chances of recovery but also contribute to more cost-effective health care. We can imagine how much money [patients] have to spend for medical treatment if their cancer has grown to an advanced stage,” said Ekowati.

According to data from the cancer division at the ministry’s non-communicable disease control directorate, the number of Indonesian women aged between 30 and 50 years had reached 36,761,000 as of Jan. 20.

During the periods of 2007 and 2013, early detection screening exams were conducted on 644,951 women, or 1.75 percent of total Indonesian women, with the number of people with positive IVA results reaching 28,850, or 4.47 percent of those tested.

Of the total data, patients with suspected cervical cancer reached 840, or 1.3 per 1,000 people, while those with suspected tumors reached 1,682, or 2.6 per 1,000 people.

“It’s a big challenge, as the screening target we have to reach by 2025 is 80 percent of women, though we know that it’s not that easy to encourage women to take screening exams,” said Ekowati. (www.thejakartapost.com)