August 2, 2025 | 02:04 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's Ministry of Health has introduced children's mental health examinations as a new component of this year’s Free Health Check program.
Minister of Health Budi Gunadi Sadikin emphasized the importance of these mental health check-ups, noting that early detection of mental disorders in children has not been carried out effectively.
“We are beginning to assess levels of anxiety and depression so that any issues can be addressed earlier,” Budi said on Thursday, July 31, 2025, as stated in a press release from Ministry of Health.
The initiative has drawn a response from Edy Muryanto, a member of Commission IX of the Indonesian Parliament. He stressed that children’s mental health examinations in the CKG program should go beyond detection and include appropriate follow-up interventions.
“If we only focus on screening results without considering the necessary follow-up actions, the program loses its purpose. Mental health check-ups should not stop at detection; they must be accompanied by interventions based on the level of severity,” Edy said on Friday, August 1, 2025, as quoted by Antara.
Edy also pointed out the limited number of mental health professionals available in primary care facilities.
He urged the Ministry of Health to immediately expand training for nurses and general practitioners at community health centers, and to empower community health workers to accurately conduct early detection.
According to Edy, the effectiveness of the CKG program in schools depends on its ability to target three groups of children. The first group includes children who have already experienced mental health issues and need promotion and awareness.
The second includes those showing mild to moderate symptoms who should receive proper interventions.
The third group consists of children facing severe issues who must be referred promptly for further treatment.
Edy, who represents the Jateng III region, underlined the need for stronger prevention efforts to reduce the risk of mental health disorders. He believes the importance of early mental health check-ups is closely linked to the social challenges school-age children face today, including bullying.
“We cannot wait until children suffer from serious disorders before acting. On the contrary, early intervention is key to safeguarding their future, because mental disorders are not just about present behavior,” he explained.
Edy added that addressing children's mental health cannot be delayed, especially as Indonesia works toward achieving its goal of producing a golden generation in 2045. He said children between the ages of 7 and 18 today will become the nation's leaders in the coming decades.
“We are shaping the future generation. They need to be physically and mentally healthy. We cannot focus solely on building physical infrastructure while neglecting the mental resilience of our future leaders,” Edy said.
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