Muhammadiyah Tobacco Control Center (MTCC) of Universitas Muhammdiyah Yogyakarta (UMY) collaborating with a team of Regent/Major Caring Smoke-Free Areas had a meeting with Regent Government of Kebumen on Monday (2/4). The meeting aimed to monitor the regulation of smoke-free Areas and to support village regulations on smoke-free areas.

Vice Chairperson of MTCC of UMY Dianita Sugiyo, S.Kep., Ns., MHID stated that the local regulation on free-smoke are in Kebumen is an effort of government to maintain the people’s health and to protect their rights to get clean air. “In Kebumen, the free-smoke areas has been regulated through Local Regulation No. 10/2017 and will be upheld Mei 2018. Therefore, this meeting is addressed to monitor the regulation implementation,” she told.

Dianita, who is also a lecturer of Department of Nursing of UMY, informed that it was not the first visit to Kebumen. “MTCC has come to Kebumen several times. We expected that the free-smoke area program can be sustained,” she wished.

Meanwhile, Project Director of MTCC of UMY dr. Supriyatiningsih, Sp.OG, M.Kes. revealed that the program is an attempt to protect society against the risk of health threats. “The regulation should massively be established,” she emphasized. Indeed, each headmen can promote the regulation and follow it up to be a village regulation.

She added that free-smoke areas are mentioned on Law on Health No. 36/2009 article 115 and the joint regulation of Minister of Health and Minister of Home Affairs on the Implementation of Free-Smoke Areas that all local government should provide free-smoke areas, including Kebumen.