The health services factor only plays a 20-percent role in determining health standards
Bandung, West Java (ANTARA) - Realizing healthy regions where residents live with high health standards is one of the development targets in West Java, according to the province's Regional Secretary Setiawan Wangsaatmadja.

In his remarks to open a workshop on the Healthy Cities and Districts program here, as per a statement received on Friday, Wangsaatmadja explained that improvement in health standards was influenced by several factors.

Those factors include environment, accounting for 40 percent, and implementation of a clean and healthy lifestyle, constituting 30 percent, he noted.

"The health services factor only plays a 20-percent role in determining health standards. Hence, if we are cooperating on the Health Cities and Districts program with the Health Office, we will fulfil only 20 percent of it," Wangsaatmadja explained.

According to the regional secretary, the other 10 percent is the genetic factor that might be difficult for regional leaders to regulate.

Meanwhile, according to the province's Health Office, 18 out of the 27 cities and districts of West Java have been qualified as open defecation-free regions this year, he remarked.

Wangsaatmadja explained that by achieving the open defecation-free status, the 18 cities and districts have qualified for the Swastisaba Award. He also reminded regional leaders that the scoring phase for the award is taking place this year.

Swastisaba Award is a national award bestowed by the Health Ministry to regions successfully implementing programs to realize clean and healthy regions. While the awarding ceremony takes place every even year, its scoring phase takes place every odd year.

However, Wangsaatmadja reminded regional leaders to not implement the Healthy City and Districts program only for the sake of winning the Swastisaba Award.

"The award is only a bonus because what is important is our consistency to realize cities and districts in West Java as truly healthy regions," he emphasized.

The regional secretary also reminded city and district leaders that realizing the Healthy Cities and Districts program require cross-party collaboration.

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Translator: Ajat Sudrajat, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Sri Haryati
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