Jakarta – A total of 308 students in grades X, XI, and XII of SMA IPEKA Sunter II North Jakarta participated in the Free Health Check (CKG) activity which was held on February 10, 2026. This activity was part of a series of one-year reviews of the implementation of the CKG program which was carried out in various locations.
The implementation of the CKG at this school was directly reviewed by the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education (Mendikdasmen) Abdul Mu'ti and the Deputy Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (Wamen PPPA) Veronika Tan. The visit was accompanied by the Head of the Health Development Policy Agency (BKPK) Asnawi Abdullah and also attended by Dara Adinda Kusuma Nasution, MSc, a Principal Expert from the Government Communications Office.
Abdul Mu'ti explained that this program is part of the President's priority of providing free health checks for schoolchildren across Indonesia, with a primary focus on tracking and early detection of students' health conditions. "Thank God, everything went well, running smoothly in accordance with the Ministry of Health's program," he said.
He also emphasized that students requiring further treatment will be referred to the nearest health facility. The Minister of Elementary and Secondary Education hopes this program will not only help map children's health conditions but also build awareness of healthy living habits, from diet to daily activities.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Veronica Tan assessed that the implementation of health checks for children showed an increasingly positive response, although initially there was still a sense of worry among participants.
"For their health checks, it turned out some were afraid, some were confused, but everyone attended. So, almost 90% have been educated," said Veronica.
The Head of the Ministry of Health's Agency for the Assessment and Application of Health (BKPK), Prof. Asnawi Abdullah, stated that the first anniversary of the Free Health Check (CKG) program serves as a momentum for evaluation and strengthening follow-up efforts. Based on the evaluation, several health issues were identified among schoolchildren. "The most common problem is dental issues. We also found that hypertension has begun to develop among children," he said.
He emphasized that starting this year, the government will strengthen follow-up, particularly in hypertension control. "For hypertension, how do we control blood pressure? Well, that's what we're currently working on," he said. This year, the government is targeting a significant increase in the number of participants. "This year, we're targeting 130 million. Last year, we achieved 70 million," said Prof. Asnawai. However, this quantitative target is accompanied by improvements in quality, particularly in follow-up for hypertension, blood sugar, and weight.
According to Asnawi, controlling these three factors has the potential to reduce the risk of serious illness in the future. He touched on the significant burden of national healthcare costs. "We know that the largest burden on the BPJS (Social Security Agency) is cardiovascular diseases. Hopefully, with this CKG, we can reduce these cases in the future," he said.
He also emphasized that CKG is part of a collective awareness movement. This program, he said, serves as a gateway to developing a healthy lifestyle through dietary management, nutritional fulfillment, and effective communication with children regarding daily habits.
"This awareness should be our collective movement," he stressed, citing the importance of controlling daily sugar and salt consumption as a standard for healthy living.
On the same occasion, Natan Imelwinoto, a student at IPEKA Sunter II High School, admitted to experiencing tangible benefits after undergoing the examination. "During the first checkup, I received several pieces of advice. One of them was about the condition of my eyes, which prompted me to immediately see a doctor for further examination," he said.
Another student at IPEKA Sunter II Christian High School, Kalissa Endarto, shared a similar experience. "I finally learned that my eyesight was slightly impaired in distance vision, and I was encouraged to eat fruits and vegetables and exercise more," she said. She considered the program very beneficial and reminded students to start living a healthy lifestyle from an early age.
The Free School Health Check Program is expected to be more than just a screening program, but also a starting point for healthy lifestyle changes for the younger generation. With early detection and appropriate follow-up, the government is optimistic that the burden of disease in the future can be reduced. Synergy between the education, health, family, and community sectors is key to ensuring every Indonesian child grows up healthy, intelligent, and prepared for the future. (Author: Fachrudin Ali, Editor: HDI Work Team)
