STBM in schools and madrasahs (Islamic schools) that is gender-responsive and MHM (program) are crucial because the (meeting) need for water and basic sanitation is paramount for the realization of healthy schools.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Health has said the integration of the Community-Based Total Sanitation (STBM) approach and the Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) program at schools could support the realization of healthy schools.

"STBM in schools and madrasahs (Islamic schools) that is gender-responsive, and MHM (program) are crucial because (meeting) the need for water and basic sanitation is paramount for the realization of healthy schools," Director of Environmental Health at the ministry's Directorate General of Disease Prevention and Control Anas Maruf said.

The application of STBM is important for bringing about a change to a clean and healthy lifestyle starting from the school or madrasah level, he explained during the launch of an STBM guidebook, which was followed online here on Tuesday.

"Integrating the STBM with the MHM program will ensure access to sanitation and hygiene for all by paying special attention to the needs of women and girls," he said.

In addition, the integration of the STBM and the MHM program will contribute to the realization of healthy districts and cities.

According to him, educational institutions have been selected as one of the targets because they are agents of change, meaning that students will become the country's future generation.

For this reason, implementing good hygiene practices at educational institutions, in accordance with the guidebook, is crucial.

"We can do this to realize an improvement in the implementation of sanitation hygiene practices, especially STBM, in all targets in accordance with the human life cycle," he said.

This is also a part of realizing health development, especially in the effort to meet the Medium-Term National Development Plan (RPJMN) and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets, he added.

To this end, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Plan International Indonesia Foundation have launched the Community-Based Total Sanitation (STBM) Guidebook.

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Translator: Zubi Mahrofi, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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