'Hip' health clinic opened

'Hip' health clinic opened

YOGYAKARTA: In a bid to improve health services and increase awareness of the importance of regular checkups, the Yogyakarta municipality administration plans to open what they call a Puskesmas Gaul, or trendy community health center. "Gaul" is the Indonesian word for trendy, hip or outgoing.

The Puskesmas Gaul will be built behind the city hall complex in Timoho, Umbulharjo, at a total cost of Rp 1.1 billion.

According to the head of Umbulharjo's community health services, Hety Handayani, the two-story health center will have such advanced equipment as EKG machines and cholesterol measuring devices.

Handayani also said the building would look unlike any other community health center, down to the upbeat colors the building will be painted in.

"Besides creating a completely new feeling at the Puskesmas, and we hope that by doing so we can encourage more people to come to the health center for consultations," Handayani said. -- JP