Over five million Indonesians receive free health screenings

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Health recorded that 5.3 million Indonesians have benefited from free health screenings so far, with an average of 187,000 people tested daily.

During a meeting with Commission IX of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) here on Wednesday (May 14), Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin noted that the number of participants had increased by four million within a month.

However, he acknowledged ongoing challenges, such as low coverage of free health screenings in densely populated regions.

"West Java is the province with the most (population), but it ranks third (in terms of program coverage), behind Central Java and East Java. Hence, this is indeed the main challenge that requires strong leadership from regional heads,” Budi noted.

To address this issue, he has coordinated with Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian and all governors in the country.

He then stated that the second challenge was ensuring proper follow-up after screenings.

For example, screenings have found that toothache is the most common issue among toddlers and preschoolers. However, Indonesia still lacks sufficient dentists to address these findings.

In addition, several health issues frequently identified through screenings include low birth weight and critical congenital heart disease in newborns and hypertension in the elderly.

Budi emphasized that while results from initial screenings are useful for preventive measures, additional care should be followed up with medication and education.

“If we can treat them now, God willing, they will not have a stroke, heart disease, or kidney disease, and their life expectancy can be extended to 74 years," he stated.

He suggested that simple public education, such as encouraging people to maintain a healthy waist circumference, could help. He noted that those with waistlines above the recommended limit have double the risk of hypertension.

The Indonesian government officially launched the health screening initiative on February 10, 2025, at community health centers across regions to promote the early detection of diseases among citizens of all ages.

Under the program, infants are screened for congenital disorders, while children and toddlers get free growth assessments.

Designated health centers provide general health checks, including lung examinations, for adults. At the same time, senior citizens receive comprehensive exams that include bone and joint health assessments, in addition to checking their health in general.

Starting in July this year, health checks for schoolchildren and teens will be available at schools.

Budi said pilot projects for free health screenings have already begun in several schools, including Islamic boarding schools.