Indonesia Launches Free Health Checks to Boost Citizen Welfare

Indonesia's Ministry of Transmigration (Kementrans) is actively promoting citizen well-being through its Free Health Check-up (CKG) program, an initiative championed by Deputy Minister Viva Yoga Mauladi. He stated that these programs are a direct derivative of President Prabowo Subianto's 'Asta Cita' (Eight Agendas), underscoring the government's commitment to comprehensive citizen welfare and protection.

"CKG is a form of realization and responsibility of the state to build a concept of a state that provides welfare and protects all its citizens," Viva Yoga explained during a CKG event at the Ministry in Kalibata, Jakarta. He believes that by providing accessible health services, the nation can cultivate superior, healthy, creative, and innovative human resources.

The event, attended by 800 Kementrans employees, focused on preventive healthcare. Viva Yoga stressed the importance of regular medical check-ups, stating, "Don't go to the doctor or hospital only when you are sick. Even when healthy, you need to check your body's condition."

He noted a concerning trend of increasing non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, obesity, heart conditions, and diabetes, despite a decrease in infectious diseases. Viva Yoga attributed these lifestyle-related illnesses to factors like diet and mental well-being, suggesting that "from the available literature, diseases arise from food about 20 percent and 80 percent from thoughts."

This CKG event marked the second such initiative, made possible through collaboration with the Ministry of Health. Viva Yoga expressed gratitude for this partnership, which ensures the program's regular, annual implementation. He also shared a personal philosophy on health: "Health is cheap, as long as in daily routine there is exercise, mental cultivation, thought cultivation, and emotional cultivation." He added, "Work must be accompanied by joy but still with responsibility."