Health drive starts in Tangerang

JAKARTA (JP): The Tangerang mayoralty launched yesterday the third-phase of this year's health drive in six villages with the help of 90 students from six Islamic boarding schools.

Tangerang Mayor Djakaria Machmud said the health program would run from Nov. 19 to Nov. 30 at the Batu Ceper, Kebon Besar, Batu Jaya, Pabuaran, Bugel and Gerendeng villages, Antara reported on Thursday.

He said the health drive aimed to pave the floors of all people's houses with cement in the villages. The program also aims to build 300 toilets, 50 chimneys and 50 rubbish tips in each village, and drains in the villages which need them.

"Hundreds of toilets will prevent Tangerang people from defecating in rivers, ponds or fields," Djakaria said.

Tangerang is about 30 km west of Jakarta.

Health drives in West Java started in May.

Citing West Java Governor R. Nuriana, the mayor said over 19,000 houses had had their floors cemented and got toilets and hundreds of rubbish tips have been dug.

He said over 60,000 elementary school students were given medicine for worms. (07)