For Jakarta’s workers, many may feel they are “still safe” as long as they are not ill. Yet behind busy routines filled with mounting deadlines, back-to-back meetings and disrupted sleep schedules, health risks can develop without being noticed.
A sedentary lifestyle is becoming increasingly common, from sitting for hours and engaging in little physical activity to experiencing high levels of stress. Such a lifestyle can increase the risk of various non-communicable diseases, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart problems, which often only become apparent when symptoms begin to interfere with daily activities.
This is in line with a statement by dr. R.A. Adaninggar Primadia Nariswari, SpPD, Technical Staff for Health Transformation Communications at the Indonesian Ministry of Health, who emphasised the importance of early awareness. “Sometimes a person may not feel anything, but the disease process in the body is still ongoing, so there is no need to wait for symptoms before undergoing a medical examination,” she explained.
According to data from the Indonesian Ministry of Health, around one in three active workers are at risk of non-communicable diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes, due to unhealthy lifestyles. This means that these risks are not limited to certain age groups, but can also affect people of working age.
So, what steps can be taken to anticipate these risks?
One step is to undergo a Medical Check-Up (MCU), which generally includes blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol checks, as well as organ function assessments as required. In certain circumstances, an MCU can also include heart health screening, particularly for individuals with demanding schedules or those with risk factors.
dr. Alius Cahyadi, Sp.PD, FPCP, FINASIM, an Internal Medicine Specialist at Bethsaida Hospital Gading Serpong, explained that many non-communicable diseases often do not show symptoms in their early stages. “Some patients only seek medical attention when they begin to experience symptoms, even though risk factors such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol can be detected earlier. With an MCU, their health can be assessed at an early stage, allowing for more optimal treatment,” he explained.
Regular MCUs are not only intended for those experiencing health complaints, but also for individuals who feel healthy, at least once a year. This allows potential risks to be identified earlier, before they develop into more serious conditions.
Although they often occur without symptoms, the body can actually give early warning signs that are frequently overlooked, such as feeling easily fatigued, recurring headaches, mild chest pain or experiencing shortness of breath during physical activity. Because these symptoms are still considered mild, many workers choose to postpone medical examinations as long as their bodies still feel “strong”. However, upon further examination, such symptoms could indicate early signs of certain health risk factors, allowing treatment to begin sooner before the condition progresses and affects productivity or quality of life.
In addition to medical examinations, health protection can also be strengthened through other preventive measures, particularly for those with high mobility and greater exposure to potential sources of infection. One option to consider is vaccination, including influenza, pneumococcal, dengue, typhoid, hepatitis and HPV vaccines, among others. These vaccines help protect the body against specific infections that could disrupt daily activities.
By combining MCUs with vaccination, workers can benefit from more comprehensive health protection. Regular examinations can help identify risks at an early stage, while vaccination provides additional protection to help them continue their activities as normally as possible.
As part of its early detection efforts, Bethsaida Hospital Gading Serpong provides MCU services that can be tailored to individual needs, as well as vaccination services, including influenza, pneumococcal, dengue and other vaccines to support preventive healthcare.
With its strategic location, Bethsaida Hospital allows active workers to access healthcare services more conveniently amid their busy routines, while taking a simple but important step towards investing in their long-term health.