JAYAPURA – Four regencies and cities in Papua Province have been confirmed to have established a Non-Smoking Area Regulation.

According to the Secretary of the Papua Health Office, Aaron Rumainum, the four areas include Jayapura City, Keerom Regency, Waropen and Sarmi.

"Biak Numfor, Supiori and Mamberamo Raya have not been made regulations. Meanwhile, Yapen Regency has been informed and Jayapura Regency is in the process," Aaron said in Jayapura on Sunday.

Nevertheless, Aaron expects the four regions that have not yet established the Smoke-free Area regulation, to immediately realize it.

The Ministry of Health targets all regions in Papua to have Smoke-free Area regulations in 2024. Whether it's a regional regulation or a regent/mayor regulation.

"Previously, Papua Province was included in the list of provinces that have not made Government Work Plan regulations. But today it has been completed with the existence of Governor Regulation No. 29 of 2023," he said.

It is known that the Ministry of Health reported that as many as 449 out of a total of 514 regencies/cities in Indonesia already have Smoke-free Area regulations. This is the latest data as of May 2023.

Of the total regions that already have Smoke-free regulations, as many as 341 districts/cities or equivalent to 66 percent in the form of Smoke-free Area regional regulations.

While the other 259 regencies/cities are in the form of regent regulations or mayoral regulations. ***