Secretary General of the Health Ministry Kunta Wibawa Dasa Nugraha stated that the transformation of primary services expanded the role of integrated health posts (Posyandu) to serve children, teenagers, adults, and the elderly.
“We are aware that health is very important. Everyone must have the awareness to improve their health,” Nugraha noted in Jakarta on Tuesday.
He remarked that currently, there were some 300 thousand Posyandu across Indonesia, with vast potential to bolster the health system in Indonesia.
The Ministry of Health aims to increase the number of targeted visitors to Posyandu by presenting various interesting health programs and activities oriented towards improving to lead a clean and healthy lifestyle as an investment in health for the future, Nugraha affirmed.
He remarked that the ministry was revitalizing Posyandu to become more formal through an appropriate budget. In 2023, a primary service revitalization budget of up to Rp6 trillion was allocated to strengthen promotive and preventive efforts.
Posyandu services will involve health personnel, including a midwife and a nurse, and will be strengthened by cadres at the village and neighborhood levels, Nugraha stated.
“Later on, Posyandu can be regulated by the Ministry of Home Affairs or the Ministry of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration,” he remarked.
Nugraha noted that Posyandu will actively serve infants, mothers, teenagers, adults, and the elderly through screening for 14 types of diseases, including heart disease, stroke, and cancer.
“Transformation of Referral Services begins with the three diseases that cause the highest mortality in Indonesia,” he stated.
He remarked that early detection of dangerous diseases at the Posyandu level is integrated with all referral facilities at the hospital.
“It is targeted that hospitals in all provinces in 2024 can offer services to treat heart disease, stroke, and cancer,” he pointed out.
Nugraha also noted that Posyandu will continue to run priority programs, such as immunization, for the child age group.
“Through Posyandu cadres, the government hopes that the routine immunization coverage for children impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic would continue to run,” he stated.
Source: Antara News