BKKBN Invited To Use Indonesian Navy Ships To Reach KB In Remote Areas

Illustration. KRI Dr Wahidin Sudirohudo-991 made by PT PAL Indonesia, the first hospital aid ship (BRS) of the Indonesian Navy to dock in West Papua on Monday 9 August 2022. (Between-Olha Mulalinda)

JAKARTA - The National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) is welcome to use a hospital ship belonging to the Indonesian Navy (AL) to expand the KB program services in remote areas.

This social service activity is carried out in the form of health services. BKKBN is included in providing KB services and activities related to accelerating stunting reduction. The Indonesian Navy will deploy hospital ships," said Head of the Indonesian Navy Maritime Potential Service, First Admiral Suradi Agung Slamet in Jakarta, Thursday, June 22, confiscated by Antara.

During his visit to meet the Head of BKKBN Hasto Wardoyo today, Suradi said the proposal was submitted because his party would carry out social services in the third week of July 2023 with a locus of events around East Java or East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

BKKBN's involvement, according to him, is very in line with the social services carried out in the form of health services. Moreover, BKKBN is intensifying KB services and accelerating stunting reduction activities.

Suradi feels that the hospital ship can support this because the ship has an operating room that can be used for the service of the Women's Contraception Method (MOW) and the Male Contraception Method (MOP).

The Indonesian Navy has also prepared health services that are held in the form of lip surgery, cataracts, general health services, and KB services.

"We will definitely discuss the timing and locus of activities. In NTT, the opening ceremony in Kupang, while social services in Maumere, Rote, or other areas. Meanwhile, in the Masalembo Islands, East Java, our large hospital ship cannot dock on the dock. There must be a small ship as a liaison with the dock," he said.

Responding to this, the Head of BKKBN Hasto Wardoyo expressed his pleasure in accepting the invitation. Moreover, President Joko Widodo's directives must cooperate across sectors in the Family Development, Population and Family Planning Program (Bangga Kencana) and accelerate stunting reduction.

In addition, he said, there are still many KB service areas in remote areas, isolated, making it difficult to reach even though the population is quite large.

"In collaboration with the TNI-AL, we hope that the problem of KB services in remote areas with large population can be resolved, because the TNI-AL has a fleet of hospital ships capable of reaching isolated areas," said Hasto.