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View all search resultsGovt starts rolling out free health screening for schoolchildren
The program offers 15 different types of health screenings, including nutritional status assessments, blood pressure and blood sugar checks, as well as screenings for tuberculosis, anemia and thalassemia.
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An elderly woman gets her blood tested during a drive to provide medical check-ups for hypertension, cholesterol and diabetes at an integrated services post (posyandu) in Banda Aceh, Aceh on Dec. 15, 2021. (AFP/Chaideer Mahyuddin)
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he government has begun rolling out free health screenings for approximately 53 million students nationwide, as part of a broader initiative to provide screenings for all citizens to promote early disease detection and improve public health.
Head of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO), Hasan Nasbi, said the health screening program targets all elementary, junior high and high school students across the country.
“It’s part of the government’s efforts to improve the quality of the nation’s human resources. In addition to providing access to quality education, the government also wants to ensure the health and well-being of its citizens,” he said on Tuesday, as reported by Kompas.com.
“Through health screenings, we hope to detect and treat diseases from an early age,” he added.
According to the Health Ministry, the program will be rolled out in stages starting Monday. The initial phase will target students at newly established sekolah rakyat (community schools).
A total of 63 of these boarding schools, which aim to provide free education for underprivileged children, are scheduled to open next week, with each expected to accommodate around 1,000 students.
Deputy Social Affairs Minister Agus Jabo Priyono said that all registered students will undergo health screenings before the school year begins, in an effort to prevent the spread of disease within the boarding school environment.
