Jakarta (ANTARA) - Home Affairs Minister Muhammad Tito Karnavian has urged regional governments to support the central government's program to provide free health screenings to people on their birthdays.He conveyed this during a meeting in Jakarta on Monday.
Support free health
According to Karnavian, the program is an effort by the government to maintain public health while optimizing the demographic dividend. Moreover, improving the quality of human resources is among the Asta Cita missions initiated by President Prabowo Subianto.
In a statement released on Monday, the minister said that the free screening program cannot run optimally if it only relies on the central government. Therefore, regional governments need to take action to support the program.
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His ministry has also issued a circular outlining the form of support needed from regional heads. In addition, he underscored the key role of regional government agencies in supporting the program.
The minister also asked regional heads to promptly hold a special meeting to follow up on the program. This program, he explained, will help the public understand their health condition better. In addition, the screenings can provide information on public health, which could prove useful in creating policies.
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According to Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, the program to provide free health screenings on birthdays is quite massive since it covers all Indonesian people. He noted that the public's expectations from the program are very high, and therefore support is needed from all parties for the program.
He explained that the program, which is planned to be launched in February 2025, aims to detect diseases early so that treatment or handling efforts can be carried out without delay.
The screenings will be carried out at community health centers and clinics, except for children aged 6 to 18 whose screenings will take place at school.
