HealthWorks Program Honored on Indonesia’s National Health Day

Subang District, Indonesia, December 2, 2015By: Sapruddin Perwira, Deputy Country Director, Project HOPE Indonesia

November 12 is National Health Day in Indonesia. This year during the National Health Day ceremony in the Subang District of Indonesia, the local government recognized companies implementing Project HOPE’s HealthWorks program, a MSD Merck for Mothers initiative. The HealthWorks programs works with garment and other companies to improve the health of female factory workers by providing health education and clinical care at the factories, especially in the areas of family planning, breastfeeding and anemia. The companies were recognized for their contributions toward improving the overall health of the community.

The Bupati (Regent) of Subang on behalf of the government of the Subang District asked other companies operating locally to follow the example of the companies implementing HealthWorks by providing good health services, lactation rooms for breastfeeding mothers, and anemia screening. Also at the ceremony, the Bupati signed a charter called the Healthy Productive Women Workers Movement. During his speech the Bupati thanked Project HOPE for bringing the HealthWorks program to Subang. He also requested that Project HOPE expand the program to include more factories and female workers.

Later that week in Subang, Project HOPE staff from the HealthWorks program participated in the “Fun Day with Female Workers and Family.” About 2,000 female factory workers and their family members participated in a “fun walk” and other activities. That day, the Vice Regent of Subang visited the HealthWorks exhibition booth and got an explanation from Project HOPE staff about the program and even underwent an anemia screening herself.