Jakarta. Jakarta’s provincial government is exploring the idea of subsidized healthcare for pets, but has clarified that the plan would not resemble Indonesia’s BPJS universal healthcare system.

Hasudungan Sidabalok, head of the Jakarta Food Security, Maritime Affairs, and Agriculture Agency (DKPKP), said the proposal being discussed is not a mandatory or free scheme, but rather a subsidy model that could offer discounted services for low-income pet owners.

“The idea is to provide subsidies, not to create something like BPJS Kesehatan,” Hasudungan said on Monday. “There would be contributions involved, and it’s still a concept requiring a thorough feasibility study.”

He stressed that the concept is still in the early stages and far from implementation. “Unlike humans who already have a dedicated institution like BPJS Kesehatan, this would be more like a pet healthcare system, not a direct comparison,” he added.

Rather than implementing a full-fledged pet health insurance program, the Jakarta government is currently focusing on expanding veterinary healthcare infrastructure.

“We need to strengthen the foundation first, starting with increasing the number of veterinary public health centers,” Hasudungan said. Currently, Jakarta has only two public veterinary clinics: one in Ragunan, South Jakarta, and the other in Pondok Ranggon, East Jakarta.

The city plans to build 10 more clinics in 2026, covering all five city municipalities and the Thousand Islands district. “This year is for planning. Construction is targeted for next year,” he said.

The discussion follows a proposal from Jakarta DPRD Commission C member Hardiyanto Kenneth of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), who called for a pet BPJS-style system to assist economically disadvantaged pet owners in accessing affordable animal care.

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