Harbuwono emphasized here on Thursday that the services will not be provided to schoolchildren on birthdays, but rolled out simultaneously at schools.
"It will be simultaneous, namely during the new school year," he affirmed.
He informed that since the program's official launch on February 10, 2025, as many as 65 thousand people have undergone the health screening.
"We hope that later, with the dissemination of information, more people will participate," he said.
While accompanying Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Pratikno, for the screening at Gambir Community Health Center, Central Jakarta, on Thursday, he assured that mental health screening is included in the program.
The deputy minister highlighted that based on the evaluation of the Ministry of Health, 34.6 percent of teenagers have experienced a decline in mental health.
The free health screening is the second quick-win program of the government under the leadership of President Prabowo Subianto after the Free Nutritious Meals program, which commenced earlier in January 2025.
The free screening program, which is based on the "no one left behind" principle, is targeting 281 million Indonesians of all age groups, ranging from babies to older adults.
The government has allocated Rp4.7 trillion (around US$287.6 million) for the program.
In the initial stage, the program is targeting children aged 0–6 years and people aged over 18 years. It is expected to be implemented in schools for children aged 7 to 17 in July.
Related news: Free check-up program highlights need for teen mental health support
Translator: Lintang Budiyanti, Raka Adji
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
Copyright © ANTARA 2025
