Batam Seriously Tackles Stunting and Maternal-Child Health, Intensifies Health Campaign

The Mayor of Batam, Amsakar Achmad, opened the 2026 Cross-Programme Health Campaign for the City of Batam at Dataran Engku Putri, Batamcentre, on Thursday, 30 April 2026. Amsakar stated that the campaign is an effort to enhance public understanding of the importance of maintaining health, particularly in addressing stunting, reducing maternal mortality rates (AKI) and infant mortality rates (AKB), as well as early detection of breast and cervical cancers. “Health information must be disseminated widely to encourage public awareness in maintaining health and preventing diseases early,” he said. He stressed that the success of health programmes does not only depend on the government but also on active community participation in adopting healthy lifestyles. Amsakar affirmed that the Batam City Government continues to strengthen the health sector, one of which is through the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) programme that has reached around 98.6 percent of the population. In addition, the Human Development Index (HDI) of Batam City has also increased from 83.3 to 83.8. The health sector is one of the main indicators in achieving this. On the other hand, Batam has also been assessed as successful in reducing stunting rates and received appreciation from the Ministry of Home Affairs. Amsakar added that the health campaign is an effort to unify public understanding that health is the main foundation of regional development. “Health is a shared responsibility. With collaboration, we are optimistic about realising a healthier Batam community,” he said.