Towards Healthy Banten 2026: Why is Routine Health Checkup Now a Lifestyle Need?

JAKARTA - Health is no longer just free from pain, but a long-term investment that must be monitored periodically. In the midst of increasing the risk of modern diseases, the Banten Provincial Health Office (Dinkes) is accelerating the Free Health Check (CKG) program with a target of reaching 46 percent of the total 13 million residents by the end of 2026.

This ambitious step was taken to detect Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) early which are now starting to haunt all ages, from children to the elderly.

Head of the Banten Health Office, Ati Pramudji Hastuti, explained that every life cycle has different health challenges. Based on the latest mapping, the Banten community needs to be aware of the following points:

Productive to Elderly: Hypertension and diabetes mellitus are still the main threats. This is closely related to urban lifestyles, stress levels, and poor diet patterns.

School-age children: The main problems found were dental caries and vision disorders. High consumption of sugary foods and excessive screen time in children are the main triggers.

The findings of high cases of diabetes and tooth decay prompted the Banten Health Office to call for massive changes in lifestyle. Education on controlling sugar consumption and proper tooth brushing habits is now being carried out intensively in schools through collaboration with various professional organizations.

"We can't just treat, but we have to intervene in lifestyle patterns. This CKG program is a gateway for people to be aware of their body condition early on," said Ati in Serang City, Thursday.

As a follow-up to the health check results, the Banten government does not walk alone. Some of the concrete steps that have been prepared include:

Mass Tooth Brushing: Collaborating with the Indonesian Dental Association (PDGI) to cultivate oral hygiene in elementary school students.

Free glasses: working with the Indonesian Optometric Refractive Association (IROPIN) for school children who are detected to have vision problems.

Achieving the target of 46 percent by the end of 2026 is a big challenge that requires the active participation of citizens. By doing routine health checks, the community not only protects themselves, but also helps create a stronger and more productive generation of Banten in the future.