TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Children's Day is a reminder to fulfill children's rights to health so that they can grow and develop well, stated Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin.

"The National Children's Day, which is commemorated every July 23, is the right momentum for everyone, from parents, families, communities, businesses, educational institutions, professions, to the government, to meet the children's rights to health together," he said in a written statement received here on Saturday.

The rights include the right to survival, the right to grow and develop, and the right to be protected from acts of violence and discrimination, Sadikin explained.

“The optimal growth and development of children will support the realization of the quality of health, intelligence, and individual competitiveness," he remarked.

He said that lack of parenting and growth support, proper nutritional intake, physical activity, individual hygiene, and environmental sanitation would be a cause for concern. Moreover, if those factors are coupled with smoking, gadget addiction, and poor communication between parents and children, they can lead to health problems in youngsters.

His administration has urged everyone to contribute to efforts to prevent children's health problems in order to create a generation of good quality.

To support the fulfillment of children's health rights, his administration has also initiated the transformation of primary services, he said.

It is focusing on improving promotive and preventive efforts, such as early detection, health promotion, building infrastructure, equipping facilities and infrastructure, and developing human resources and management in all primary services in the country.

"This service is expected to support efforts to meet children's right to health and create healthy people by conducting preventive measures," the minister said.

He further said that this year's theme for National Children’s Day is "Protected Children, Advanced Indonesia.”

The ministry is promoting the theme of improving children's quality of life through high-quality parenting and services.

The ministry commemorated this year's National Children's Day by collaborating with other sectors, businesses, professional organizations, and the community. Activities conducted to mark the day included a movement to promote nutrition fulfillment in junior high schools, high schools, and their equivalents to encourage higher consumption of blood-adding tablets by adolescent girls.

The ministry also organized screening for eye disorders, especially refractive errors, in school children.

Other programs held as part of the transformation of primary care included augmenting routine immunizations from 11 to 14 vaccines and monitoring the growth and development of children at integrated services posts with standardized anthropometry tools.

ANTARA

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