Padang (ANTARA) - Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin emphasized that one of President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship initiatives, the Free Health Checks (CKG) program for schoolchildren, will prioritize remote areas across the country.

“There is no problem with reaching remote areas. We have 10,000 community health centers (Puskesmas) located in villages and sub-districts nationwide,” he said while delivering a public lecture at the Opening of the Introduction to Campus Life for New Students (PKKMB) at Padang State University, West Sumatra, on Monday.

He explained that the program will cover students in remote regions, such as the Mentawai Islands District in West Sumatra, which borders the Indian Ocean.

The Indonesian government, through the Ministry of Health, aims to provide free health checks to 52 million students, ensuring that basic health services are available even in schools.

“My target over the next five years is for 52 million students to receive CKG services,” he stated.

Overall, the program will reach children in 282,000 educational institutions, from elementary to high schools, as well as Islamic schools under the Ministry of Religious Affairs and People’s Schools under the Ministry of Social Affairs.

Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Pratikno said the CKG program is part of efforts to strengthen the nation’s foundation for producing superior human resources.

It complements other initiatives such as the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program, school revitalization, and the digitalization of learning.

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Translator: Muhammad Zulfikar, Martha Herlinawati Simanjuntak
Editor: Primayanti
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