Abstract
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Indonesia’s health system was already facing some daunting challenges: the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including mental disorders, that threatens to drain the financial sustainability of the universal health system, and the
persistent problems of maternal health, and infectious and
nutritional diseases. Health and economic costs of NCDs from labour supply and productivity loss are likely to be high and increasing. This chapter discusses the channels through which the COVID-19 pandemic may have medium- and long-term impacts on NCDs and their risk factors. The immediate and long-term effects of the disruption of services, the ‘long-haul’
effects and the effects on mental health may further increase
the burden that NCDs place on the Indonesian health system. Indirect effects through income loss and job loss, and longterm tolls on health workers, present challenges for those with NCDs to access services. The effects of the pandemic on NCDs are likely to be heterogeneous across socioeconomic gradients and may exacerbate the existing health inequities.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Economic Dimensions of COVID-19 in Indonesia: Responding to the Crisis |
Editors | Lewis Blane, Firman Witoelar |
Place of Publication | Singapore |
Publisher | ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute |
Pages | 150-169 |
Edition | 1 |
ISBN (Print) | Economic Dimensions |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2021 |