Children need early education on health

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Wed, 06/25/2008 10:32 AM | City

Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari said Monday teachers and mothers held major roles in reaching the Healthy Indonesia 2010 targets.

She said mothers and teachers were significant in influencing the next generation to become a more health-conscious society.

The Healthy Indonesia 2010 campaign was set up by the government in 2003. It set 50 targets to be achieved in the nation by 2010. The 50 targets address morbidity, mortality, nutrition, environmental issues, people's behavior and health services.

"All Indonesians, not just the government, need to take responsibility for realizing the targets. And all of us must be responsible for taking care of our neighborhoods' health," the minister said at a health education workshop in Condet, East Jakarta.

The workshop, which was conducted by non-governmental organization Sahabat Ciliwung (Friends of Ciliwung) in cooperation with the Health Ministry, aimed to provide health and conservation education to teachers of kindergarten children, Koran learning groups and preschools along the Ciliwung River.

During discussions at the workshop, Siti said several health-related problems in areas along the Ciliwung River, including dengue fever and litter, were significant.

"I really appreciate this health education campaign for mothers and teachers. However, I want to urge all communities here to live a clean and healthy life, to maintain the activities of community health centers in this neighborhood and to clean up the river bank," she said.

The minister pledged to provide medicine and health equipment to local community health centers.(JP/uwi)

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