Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin once said that Indonesia needs healthy citizens to become a developed country when it enters the demographic bonus phase.
"We can start by maintaining our health to avoid getting sick, so we can live a healthy life," he conveyed during the launching of a Primary Health Service Integration in August 2023.
According to him, the mindset of being healthy must be instilled in all citizens. He also mentioned that being healthy does not mean healing from a disease but maintaining a healthy condition to avoid sickness
A healthy lifestyle must be carried out by all Indonesians since the country is currently ranked second in Tuberculosis (TB) cases in the world and fifth in diabetes as well as stunting cases in the world
Not to mention, there are 70 million Indonesians who are exposed to cigarette smoke, with 68.9 million of them being active smokers. Data from Basic Health Research in 2013 showed that the smoking habit did not only occur in adults.
The research recorded there were 7.2 percent of smokers aged 10 to 18 years old. This figure increased to 9.1 percent in 2018.
Apart from that, no less than Rp113.47 trillion in funding has been disbursed by the National Health Insurer (BPJS Health) for the participants of the National Health Insurance (JKN) program throughout 2022.
These data and phenomenon are not ideal for achieving the Golden Indonesia 2045 goal which requires high-quality human resources amid the demographic bonus which is predicted to reach its peak in 2030-2040.
Therefore, the Health Ministry is taking concrete action by launching the Integration of Primary Health Services on August 31 as one of the efforts to welcome Golden Indonesia 2045 and also to carry out health transformation in the country.
The Integration of Primary Health Services focuses on three points namely the application of the life cycle as the focus of health service integration.
Second, bringing health services closer through networks to the village and hamlet level, including strengthening promotion and prevention, namely through disease detection and screening. Third, strengthening regional monitoring through digitalization and monitoring the rural health situation with a health dashboard.
The implementation of life cycle monitoring aims to provide fair and equal health services for each life period, not only aimed at one particular group of age.
For example, the government started to provide health screening during pregnancy for the mother and the baby. During pregnancy, expecting mothers also receive a number of health screening services such as triple elimination screening for hepatitis B, HIV, and syphilis to ensure smooth delivery.
When the baby is born, the screening or checking is continued with congenital hypothyroid screening, to separate babies who suffer from congenital hypothyroidism and immediately give treatment to avoid serious impact on their growth and development
Some of these screening packages are part of the packages provided for various age groups starting from babies and toddlers, children and teenagers, to productive age groups and the elderly.
To obtain these health services, the public can visit the nearest health facility such as integrated health posts (posyandu) which was previously known as a place to provide health services for babies and toddlers, can now also be visited by adults and even the elderly to get health services.
This is included in the government’s efforts to strengthen community health centers, especially to accommodate the community who live in remote areas from having to go to health facilities or hospitals to get basic health services.
The Integration of Primary Health Services is realized by strengthening around 10,000 community health centers (puskesmas) in the sub-district area, around 85,000 supporting puskesmas at the hamlet level, and around 300,000 posyandu in the village area with services that meet standards.
The Integration of Primary Health Services also shows Indonesia's seriousness in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) launched by the United Nations (UN), especially in the third point which ensures healthy lives and promotes well-being for all at all ages.
Integration of Primary Health Services is also an important part of the various efforts being made to realize a Golden Indonesia 2045.
Minister Sadikin conveyed that health must be developed from an early age to realize productive human resources in order to bring Indonesia out of the threat of the middle-income trap.
Productive human resources in this era is one of the country’s capitals to boost Gross Domestic Income (GDP) that helps to penetrate Indonesia entering the high-income country group, the minister said.
Therefore, solid cooperation between the community as citizens and the government as policymakers is needed to realize quality human resources in welcoming Golden Indonesia 2045.
Related news: All societal elements should realize Golden Indonesia 2045: Official
Related news: President Jokowi receives Golden Indonesia road map book
Related news: Ministry launches program to integrate primary health services
