Gov’t Encourages People to Living Healthy

President Jokowi on the 2018 Healthy Regency/City Meeting, at the Tangerang Mayor Office on Sunday (4/11). (Photo by: Rahmat/Public Relations)

The expenditure of the Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan) for heart disease is Rp9.5 trillion, for cancer is Rp3 trillion, for kidney is Rp2.2 trillion, and cataract is Rp2.6 trillion, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said.

“The total amount of the health budget is very large,” President Jokowi said in opening the 2018 Healthy Regency/City Meeting, at the Tangerang Mayor Office on Sunday morning (4/11).

Therefore, the President welcomed the Meeting. “There are a number of jobs that we have to complete to create a healthy environment, such as providing healthy sanitation as well as neat and clean ditches,” he said.

According to President Jokowi, there are still a lot of cities whose ditches are clogged and do not flow well, causing various diseases. Some industries also still have not been environmentally friendly and dispose their waste carelessly, and the President considered it a problem.

Regarding healthy living habits, President Jokowi considers smartphone usage have an influence in our daily lives. “Sometimes, we are unaware of time passing, too absorbed with smartphone, including me” the President said, adding that he still routinely does sports, such as cycling, archery, jogging, boxing for maintaining his health.

Therefore, President Jokowi continued, the healthy life movement must be encouraged so that the total of the BPJS Kesehatan expenditure goes down, and it can be used as an indicator of healthy living.

Furthermore, the Head of State criticized the habit of some people that teach their children to eat tasty food instead of healthy food. In fact, continued President Jokowi, Indonesia is blessed with abundant healthy foods by God.

“In other countries, they name it junk food. Unfortunately, it becomes our favorite here,” the President said, adding that the people should be given information about what an unhealthy way of life it is.

Also attending the event were Minister of Health Nila Moeloek, Minister of Industry Airlangga Hartarto, Chief of Presidential Staff Moeldoko, and Governor of Banten Wahidin Halim. (RAH/JAY/ES)

Translated by: Galuh Wicaksono
Edited by: Ayu Wulandari