The Indonesian Ministry of Health ensures that the Health Bill, being processed in the House of Representatives (DPR), has accommodated the interest of protecting the health of infants and children in Indonesia.
"This is stipulated within Article 47A of the Government's Problem Inventory List (DIM) in the Health Bill," Head of the Ministry's Public Communication and Service Bureau, Siti Nadia Tarmizi, stated here, Tuesday.
The effort to improve infant and children health service quality aims to continue to support their growth and development into healthy, intelligent, and quality individuals while also reducing infant and child sickness and death.
The ministry reported that 96.8 percent of infant mortality and 76.4 percent of child deaths caused by neonatal disorder in Indonesia are preventable through innovation in health services.
The effort to maintain the health of infants and children is made with the provision of exclusive breast milk for six months to be continued with breast milk supplements until they reach two years of age.
The Health Bill will mandate screening and immunization of every newly born infant to prevent diseases and other health problems.
This is done through congenital hypothyroidism screening complemented with USG equipment at all Public Health Centers (Puskesmas) in Indonesia.
The use of USG for early health detection in fetus as well as anthropometric equipment at every Puskesmas and Integrated Health Post (Posyandu) aims to observe and intervene in infant and children development, she stated.
In addition, the government has the obligation to ensure protection of infants and children by providing them with rights to protect from discriminative and violent actions that can be detrimental to their health.
Editor : Mahdani
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