Banda Aceh, Aceh (ANTARA) - The Aceh provincial government has worked with the Bank Indonesia office in the city of Banda Aceh to initiate a halal, safe, and healthy culinary zone at Zainoel Abidin Public Hospital (RSUDZA), and claimed it as "the first of its kind in Indonesia."

According to Restu Andi Surya, an expert staff for financial economy and development at the Aceh administration's regional secretariat,the culinary zone, which has so far had 20 food stalls, is situated in the canteen of RSUDZA's cooperative unit.

Seventeen of the 20 culinary small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) running the food stalls had obtained halal certificates while three others still await the halal certification team's final meeting, Surya said in a press statement that ANTARA quoted here Sunday.

Therefore, the RSUDZA is now not only known as a credible healthcare center but also a culinary zone for those in need of trusted halal food as it abides to the truly halal and healthy principles, he said.

Its presence would definitely provide those visiting the hospital with not only delicious but also truly halal, safe, and healthy meals served by certified culinary MSMEs, he added.

In addition, the government-backed initiative is expected to encourage locals and foreign travelers to care more about the halal, safe, and healthy food, as well as strengthen public trust in Aceh, Surya said.

"This culinary zone is also part of our endeavors to make Aceh become an important part of the halal product ecosystem at both national and global levels," he said.

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Translator: R.Fajri, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Primayanti
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