SEAToday.com, Jakarta - Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin emphasized that the implementation of the Free Health Check program should not be limited to a formal initiative but should be developed into a national movement involving all sectors of society.

"It has to be similar to COVID-19 efforts; we cannot do it alone. It must be a collective effort, not just a program, but a movement where every component of the nation realizes, 'This is beneficial for me,'" Minister Budi stated, as quoted on Antara, after inspecting the Free Health Check program for online motorcycle taxi (ojol) drivers at the Grab Excellent Center in Jakarta on Friday.

He highlighted the success of Indonesia’s COVID-19 vaccination program, which was achieved through a collaborative approach. One of the government’s strategies, through the Ministry of Health, was to partner with digital transportation platforms such as Grab to reach a wider population.

A similar approach, he explained, is being applied to the Free Health Check program. The Ministry of Health has once again collaborated with Grab to expand the program’s reach.

"In the past, we started with Grab because they had a large network of driver partners, making it an effective distribution channel," Minister Budi said as quoted on Antara.

He emphasized that the success of the Free Health Check program relies on the involvement of multiple stakeholders, including the government, private sector, and the public. By positioning the initiative as a national movement, the program aims to raise public awareness about the importance of early disease detection and preventive healthcare.

Since its launch on February 10, 2025, more than one million people have registered for the Free Health Check program. The daily number of new registrants continues to increase, currently reaching around 90,000 people per day.

Looking ahead, Minister Budi expressed hopes that participation in the program will continue to grow, with a target of more than 50 million registrants by the end of 2025.

"For this first year, we need around 150,000 new registrants per day to reach 50 million. We still need to increase daily registrations by about 50,000 people," he stated as quoted on Antara.

The Minister reiterated that partnerships, such as the collaboration between the government and Grab, play a crucial role in expanding the program’s reach and ensuring broader public participation.

Writer: Andi Raisa Malaha Thambas