Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Health Ministry urged members of the National Scout to actively participate in offering primary healthcare services and perform their role as backup medical personnel in times of disasters.
"Firstly, in primary care. In 2030, some 16 percent of children below 16 are estimated to be smoking, so the Scouts' part in campaigning for non-smoking habits for their peers is important," Deputy Health Minister Dante Saksono Harbuwono stated at Saka Bakti Husada Day at the ministry's office complex.
Saka Bakti Husada is a platform or collective of scouts, who intend to develop their knowledge, skills, and experience in medical aspects through opportunities in which they devote their time for medical public services.
He also urged scout members to educate people on efforts to prevent and tackle stunting, a condition in which children fail to grow properly due to chronic malnutrition, repeated infections, and lack of stimuli.
Moreover, scouts can serve as backup for medical personnel when disaster strikes.
"Currently, there are 31 thousand (scouts members in the age group of 16-20 years) and 25 thousand (scouts members in the age bracket of 21 to 25 years) listed as medical backups," the deputy minister pointed out.
He noted that members of Saka Bakti Husada with sound skills and experience can take part in more tactical medical treatments, such as addressing cases of rabies bites.
He stated that training and coaching to improve knowledge and skills on medical aspects for scouts is provided in various levels of education.
"To date, we provide competencies of national standard, but we can also lobby for it, so there is training for international-level competencies," he remarked.
"Hopefully, the special skill in the medical aspect can serve as one contribution from the National Scout to the International Scout," he stated.
The representatives of National Scout will participate in an international jamboree hosted on August 2-12, 2023, in South Korea.
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