Cirebon (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s Health Ministry has designated Cirebon District, West Java, as one of the pilot regions for expanding the Free Health Check (CKG) program to workers.
Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus Octavianus explained that the initiative is intended to reach productive-age field workers who have yet to gain adequate access to routine medical examinations.
“The health of those individuals often goes unmonitored. On the other hand, it is easier for companies to reach those who work in offices,” he remarked during a visit to Cirebon on Friday.
Octavianus noted that the ministry is partnering with the Cirebon Health Office and a subsidiary of state-owned energy company Pertamina to roll out the CKG expansion pilot.
He added that the scheme aims to reach 1,040 company employees working at several locations. Health screenings will therefore be conducted in stages to accommodate their varying work schedules.
In the initial stage, he continued, the CKG program would cover 30 workers, while the others would be able to undergo similar health checks at several designated sites.
The deputy minister pointed out that the targeted beneficiaries come not only from Cirebon but also from other regions across West Java.
“We are targeting especially those considered freelancers—the ones who go unmonitored,” Octavianus added.
He went on to underscore the importance of bringing the program directly to field employees’ workplaces, contrasting their access to health examinations with that of office workers.
Elaborating further, he noted that the initiative involves blood tests, X-ray examinations, health history interviews, and direct consultations with physicians.
“This scheme is intended for healthy people who work freelance,” the deputy minister added, noting that it is expected to be replicated in other regions to further expand access to the national program.
The CKG program has reached roughly 119 million people nationwide from January to November 2023, a significant increase from the 70 million residents served last year.
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Translator: F. Rohman, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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