GOVT TO IMPROVE HEALTH OF 76 MILLION POOR PEOPLE

Kupang, NTT, Nov 29 (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Health has set a budget of Rp4.6 trillion to improve the health of 76 million poor people in Indonesia, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Governor Frans Lebu Raya said.

"Under the program, about 1.5 million poor people in NTT would also enjoy the health improvement program owing to the fact that NTT poor people account for 23.32 percent of the country's total number of poor people," he said here on Sunday.

The governor made the remarks after accompanying Health Minister Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih during a visit to Maumere and Sikka-Flores districts on a Media Tour of the province.

Lebu Raya said that the presence of the health minister in the province was part of her first 100-day work program in the Second United Indonesia Cabinet.

The governor said that the government was also setting aside operational health funds (BOK) to be provided for the integrated mother and child healthcare posts (Posyandu) and community health care centers (Puskesmas).

He said that Indonesia has 240,000 Postyandus and 60,000 Puskesmas.