Lifebuoy Sets Little Doctors as Promoters for Healthy Living

PT Unilever Indonesia Tbk., through one of its brands, Lifebuoy, which is widely known as the family healthy soap, has formed a partnership with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia and the Ministry of National Education of the Republic of Indonesia to hold a program on revitalizing Little Doctors in an effort to educate and promote clean and healthy living (PHBS) at primary schools (SD) to support the realization of a healthier Indonesia.

The partnership and presentation on the programs of revitalizing Little Doctors and cadres of health for healthier Indonesia were made public on Tuesday in a press conference at the State Primary School (SDN) Gunung 05 Jakarta (SD Mexico). Present at the press conference was Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia dr. Endang Rahayu Sedyaningsih, MPH, Dr. PH as the keynote speaker.

Resource people involved in the partnership are Joseph Bataona, Human Resources & Corporate Relations Director of PT Unilever Indonesia Tbk.,Erwin Cahaya Adi, Senior Brand Manager of Lifebuoy; dr. Hj. Fatni Sulani, DTMH, M.Si, Director of Child Health Development of the Directorate General for Community Health Development at the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia; Drs. Abdul Syukur Madjid, Head of Life Skill Education and Health Development Division at the Center for Physical Quality Development (PUSJAS) with the National Education Ministry and dr. Handrawan Nadesul, a Little Doctor and PHBS Campaigner were also present.

Joseph Bataona said in his speech that all parties should pay attention to efforts made to keep Indonesian children healthy. The best way to maintain the health of Indonesian children is by taking preventive measures (prevention). “The preventive measures may be taken by promoting PHBS to the children and every Indonesian family; it’s the easiest and cheapest way to do.” Joseph added that the health problems of the school children are common problems and therefore, partnership between the government and private entities is continously needed in line with their respective capacities.

Erwin Cahaya Adi, Senior Brand Manager of Lifebuoy, said that Lifebuoy has long been advocating and promoting PHBS to the community. “Stemming from a school program carried out continuously by Lifebuoy since 2004, Lifebuoy has accelerated and quantified positive impacts of PHBS through a program of revitalizing Little Doctor. Through the program of revitalizing Little Doctor, promotion of PHBS could be conducted effectively as the children will become agents of change for themselves, school environments and their families,” Erwin said.

Lifebuoy is revitalizing the Little Doctor in relation to a large number of Indonesia’s school children populations. Based on the data of the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) in 2009, Indonesia had around 79.4 million children aged between 8 to 18 years old[1]. However, efforts to maintain their health are big challenge for all parties.

Based on the fact and evidence above, Lifebuoy has formed a partnership to revitalize the Little Doctors. The Little Doctors will become agents of change to promote PHBS, an easy and cheap way in maintaining health.

According to Abdul Syukur Madjid, the Ministry of the National Education warmly welcomes and lends support to revitalize the Little Doctor as PHBS is one of the important efforts to maintain health of the school children so that at the end of the day, it will support the process of children’s learning and education. “Healthy children will attend school more frequently and their process of learning will not be hampered by illness,” he said.

Fatni Sulani said the vision of health development should prioritize, promotive and preventive rather than curative measures. One of its ways is to campaign PHBS in the early age. “A revitalization of Little Doctor has an important role to play to develop a clean and healthy living behavior since early age,” Fatni said. In the light of the importance of Little Doctor program, the Ministry of Health has obliged every primary school to have Little Doctor as stipulated in Health Ministerial Decree (SK) No.145/Menkes/SK/X/2003.

Handrawan Nadesulsaid, meanwhile, the Little Doctor proves to be effective health promoters for their schools. From schools, it will develop to a bigger context such as family and community. “So, promoting PHBS through Little Doctor will have a great impact to the realization of healthier Indonesian generation,” Handrawan said.

In the program of revitalization of Little Doctor and Cadres of Health, Lifebuoy and its partners have held a series of programs: Training for the primary school teachers on Little Doctor program. The training is aimed to give knowledge and skills to revive and run the program of School Health Unit (UKS) and Little Doctor at their respective school.

Lifebuoy conducted training throughout this year in four big cities in Indonesia: Jakarta on April 8, Yogyakarta on April 15, Medan on April 22, and Surabaya on April 29. The training program have educated more than 400 primary school teachers, particularly those teachers or instructors of UKS in the Capital Jakarta, West Java, Banten, Central Java, Yogyakarta Special Province, North Sumatera, East Java, and East Nusa Tenggara.

Lifebuoy will also hold a Camp for Lifebouy Little Doctor, a place for learning and playing for Little Doctor. A camp for Lifebuoy’s Little Doctor will be held in four big cities: Jakarta, Medan, Yogyakarta and Surabaya, involving around 260 primary schools and 420 Little Doctors of 32 Districts and Municipalities.

Erwin Cahaya Adi said Lifebuoy will assess activities of the Little Doctors taking part in the Lifebuoy’s Little Doctor Camp in promoting PHBS at schools and their respective communities. “The best Little Doctors will be selected to advance in the national selection in Jakarta,” Erwin said.

The PHBS knowledge given during the Lifebuoy’s Little Doctor Camp are among other personal health, healthy environment, and five Lifebuoy ways to keep healthy such as taking a bath using soap, washing hands using soap (CTPS) before having breakfast, lunch, dinner, and after defecating at the toilet.

The development of PHBS habits promoted by the Little Doctors will make the nation’s generation healthy and at the end of the day will contribute to the realization of healthier Indonesia.

[1]Data from BPS 2009