News

Pesantren health post to be national program

NU Online  ·  Sabtu, 9 September 2006 | 06:37 WIB

Surabaya, NU Online
Indonesia’s Health Minister Siti Fadilah Supari said on Friday (8/9) that her department would develop health posts at Islamic Boarding “Pesantren” Schools (poskestren) throughout the country.

“It (poskestren) would be such a national program, (the establishment of ) the 200 health posts to pesantrens in East Java has remained an elicitation. Next, it would be replicated in pesantrens throughout Indonesia,” Fadilah said.

<>The minister expected the development of the independent health army through poskestren would purposefully give such double effect to other independent health posts for entirely communities.

She cited that the large number of pesantrens in the country of ours considered as big potencials s should be managed professionally to disseminate health information and promote the importance of healthy life style habits.

She suggested that the implementation of the prospective program would be carried out gradually. In accordance with the 2006 budget, she added, her department has just allocated the planned budget to establish 200 health posts at pesantrens and their equipments in the province of East Java.

According to Fadilah, five of the pesantren health armies had been already established at pesantren Langitan (Tuban), Darul Ulum (Jombang), Bahrul Ulum (Jombang), At-Tanwir (Bojonegoro), and Roudhotul Muta’allimin (Babat). “Next it would be completed at the end of 2006,” she added.

Fadilah also said that following the establishment of the East Java poskestrens, the government would expectedly cooperate with the Rabithah Ma’ahid Islamiyah (RMI/Pesantren Association), one of NU institutions whose programs such as religious and pesantren studies, pesantren empowerment of social affairs, and educational quality development of pesantren. (ant/mad)