North Sumatra Targets 7.3 Million Residents for Free Health Screening Programme

The North Sumatra Provincial Government is targeting 46 per cent of the province’s population, or 7.3 million people, to receive free health screening services this year. Head of Public Health at the North Sumatra Health Office, Hery Valona Bonatua, stated that 22.56 per cent of residents had utilised the service in 2025, and the coverage target has now been raised to 46 per cent. The Free Health Check programme, a national priority initiative, aims to ensure all Indonesian citizens can access routine health screening at least once a year. Nationally, the programme commenced in February 2025 and has shown increasing uptake, particularly in North Sumatra. Hery noted that North Sumatra ranked fourth nationally in 2025, achieving 22.56 per cent coverage. As of June 2026, the provincial health office recorded that 3.2 million residents had received the free health screening. The service is available at 619 community health centres across all regencies and cities in North Sumatra. Hery expressed optimism that the 46 per cent target would be met by the end of the year. To accelerate implementation, Governor Bobby Nasution has instructed district and city governments to optimise the programme in their respective areas. The programme focuses on early detection to map public health conditions, enabling potential illnesses to be identified and treated before they become serious. Hery encouraged the public to take advantage of the programme for early health screening.