More open spaces urged for healthy hearts

More open spaces urged for healthy hearts

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian Heart Foundation (YJI) has urged the new
government to provide more open spaces where people can exercise
and pursue a healthy lifestyle.

With cardiac problems still topping the list of killers in the
country, the foundation raised concern that a lack of public
spaces was contributing to the overall decline in people's
health.

"We call on the new government to pay more attention to
healthy lifestyles by providing open spaces for the public, such
as soccer fields and public parks, and by supporting education
policies that highlight the importance of a healthy life," YJI
chairperson Nerry Aulia Sani said on Friday.

Urban areas in the country have seen the widespread conversion
of empty land into buildings, leaving precious little open space
for residents.

"The increase in the number of heart cases is connected to
people's lifestyle and behavior. We badly need to get information
on healthy lifestyles out to the public to help them cut down on
the risk of heart disease," Nerry said.

In conjunction with its 23rd anniversary on Nov. 9, the
foundation has organized a series of public and private events
as part of its campaign against adolescent smoking.

To cap off the year, the foundation will hold the Vienna Ball
Charity Night concert at the Shangri-La Hotel in Central Jakarta
on Dec. 11. The event will feature the Wiener Saloniker Ensemble
from Austria, under conductor Christian Schultz, the Simponi
Nusantara Orchestra and sopranos Aning Katamsi, Aida Swenson
Simanjuntak and Ndaru Darsono, as well as pop singer Ruth
Sahanaya.

Since its establishment in 1981, the Indonesian Heart
Foundation has set up 3,292 heart care clubs with about one
million total members. The non-profit organization also has
raised funds to help 1,679 heart patients pay for medicine and
surgery.