Banjarbaru, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Banjarbaru City won four categories of Community-Based Total Sanitation (STBM) Award 2021 from the Ministry of Health.
The national-level award has even placed Banjarbaru as the only region in South Kalimantan Province to be included in the Open Defecation Free (ODF)/SBS City category.
"We are grateful that Banjarbaru won four awards at once. This fits the slogan of a champion which is our vision and mission, namely forward, religious, and prosperous," said Deputy Mayor Wartono who witnessed the STBM awarding held virtually together with the commemoration of World Handwashing Day with Soap, Friday.
Banjarbaru won the ODF/SBS city category because it succeeded in implementing community hygiene behavior by stopping open defecation.
Three other awards were won by Banjarbaru through civil servants and the community who have succeeded in expediting the STBM program, namely the best lurah (urban village head) won by Cempaka Urban Village Head Junaidi.
Saniah, who served at the Cempaka Public Health Center (Puskemas) won the best sanitarian category, and a resident of Cempaka Sub-district Khairun Nida was appointed at the best natural leader.
Head of Banjarbaru Health Agency Rizana Mirza said it was the first time for Banjarbaru to win STBM award in the era of Mayor H M Aditya Mufti Ariffin and Deputy Mayor Wartono leadership.
"The success of winning four awards at once is the result of cooperation of all parties, agencies, offices, as well as the support of the community who take an active role," he said.
The success in handwashing with soap and stop open defecation movement, he said, is very good in improving the health degree of the community.
"In addition to reducing stunting, reducing maternal and infant mortality, it enhances the public health degree through ODF, making Banjarbaru the healthy and comfortable city to live in," he said.
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