As the Martabe Gold Mine operator, PT Agincourt Resources (Agincourt Resources), is committed to implementing sustainable mining that is environmentally, socially and economically responsible, especially in its directly affected villages (DAV). One of them is through the Community Development and Empowerment Program (PPM).
One of the pillars of Agincourt Resources’s PPM program is improving the quality of community health, especially maternal and child health (MCH). This is in line with the Indonesia government’s main priority in health development, which is supported by Minister of Health Regulation No. 21 of 2021 on Health Services for the Pre-Pregnancy, Pregnancy, Childbirth and Postpartum Period, Provision of Contraception Services, and Sexual Health Services and also by Minister of Health Regulation No. 25 of 2014, Article 4 which is states that child healthcare is provided from the time a baby is in the womb and last until he/she aged 18 years old.
Since 2008, Agincourt Resources has provided full support to posyandu, which is a meeting point between the professional services from health workers and community participation in overcoming health problems, especially in efforts to reduce infant mortality and birth rates. Agincourt Resources, in collaboration with the South Tapanuli Health Service, initiated the Posyandu Revitalization program in South Tapanuli which aims to gradually increase the posyandu strata towards family posyandu, an integrated service center, stunting center, places to detect other things, and a consultation center to educate the community.
In the Posyandu Revitalization program, Agincourt Resources organized various activities. Starting from empowering cadres by increasing their knowledge and soft skills, improving facilities and infrastructure, strengthening institutions, providing information systems, to facility optimization. In 2015, the Agincourt Resources Posyandu Revitalization Program even won a gold award in the 2015 Community Empowerment Works Award (GKPM). And, in 2017, this program was again recognized by being awarded a silver award in the 2017 Indonesian Sustainable Development Goals Award (ISDA).
In July 2022, together with the South Tapanuli Regional Health Service and CV Sinergi Medika Indonesia experts, Agincourt Resources signed a Cooperation Agreement for the Posyandu Revitalization Program which targets seven Posyandu, five of which are in Batangtoru District, spread across Napa Village, Hapesong Lama Village, Aek Pining District, Wek II Village, and Telo Village. Meanwhile, the other two are in Bandar Hapinis Village and Terapung Raya Village in Muara Batangtoru District. With this six-month program, it is hoped that there will be a community health improvement in the target villages through the improvement of the nutritional status and health of mothers and children.
Read Also: PTAR Supports the Posyandu Revitalization Program to Create Integrated Posyandu
In 2023, the Agincourt Resources Posyandu Revitalization program focuses on the initiation of Integrated Posyandu, which will be continued with the initiation of Prima Posyandu in 2024. And it is targeted that in 2025, independent Posyandu will be reached in Batangtoru and Muara Batangtoru.
Through this Posyandu Revitalization program, Agincourt Resources is also trying to help the South Tapanuli Government solve the stunting problem. As is known, in 2022, South Tapanuli was the region with the highest prevalence of stunted toddlers in North Sumatra, namely 39.4 percent or 293 children.
