Numerous successes and achievements in health development throughout 2023 do not make Surabaya Mayor, Eri Cahyadi, complacent at all. Moreover, Cak Wali's enthusiasm and aspiration has hit the new high to make Surabaya rise to the next level and take part in the international health arena.

After setting a record for the lowest stunting prevalence in Indonesia based on the Indonesian Nutritional Status Study, Surabaya made history once again with the declaration of 100% open defecation free (ODF) in March 2023. Additionally, Surabaya also succeeded in maintaining the first position in the performance assessment of stunting eradication by the Ministry of Home Affairs in 2 (two) consecutive years. Apart from that, Surabaya received various awards on national and international scales, such as the award of ASEAN Environmentally Sustainable City, eradication of Covid-19, Integration of Primary Health Services, Free from Yaws, innovation of community movement in implementing immunization, as well as implementation of Universal Health Coverage reaching 100%. Furthermore, Surabaya successfully maintained the title of Swastisaba Wistara for the third time, which is the highest healthy city category in Indonesia. Besides that, the city achieved the first rank in National STBM Award in primary category. With all these achievements accompanied by systematic and sustainable efforts to create a smart healthy city, Surabaya was chosen by the Ministry of Health to represent Indonesia in the World Health City Forum which was held in South Korea in November, 2023.

Mayor Eri Cahyadi enlightened that the success formula for various accomplishments in the enactment of healthy city in Surabaya was the collaboration of all stakeholders. This aligns with the meaning and purpose of the establishment of healthy city in Indonesia. The implementation of a healthy city is the realization of a city that is clean, beautiful, comfortable, safe and healthy for residents to live in, that is achieved through the implementation of 9 (nine) arrangements and activities integrated and agreed upon by the community and the City Government. The 9 (nine) healthy city arrangements are as follows:

1. Independent and healthy community life
2. Housing and public facilities
3. Educational units
4. Market
5. Offices and Industries
6. Healthy tourism
7. Transportation and orderly road traffic
8. Social protection
9. Disaster management

Mayor Eri elaborated that the success of implementing healthy city in Surabaya could not be separated from the hard works of all elements of society in the City of Heroes.

"We have Healthy City Forum (FKS) at the city, sub-district and urban village levels. There is also a program called integration of primary health services, existing in neighborhood health centers, auxiliary neighborhood health centers as well as family integrated service posts. Besides that, we have an innovation called Kampung Madani. With Kampung Madani, the health movement can be undertaken in the grassroots level," uttered the mayor.

The City Mayor, who is familiarly called Cak Eri, revealed that the success in implementing the smart healthy city were also due to the contribution of the heads of RT, RW, LPMK, Kader Surabaya Hebat (KSH) and TP PKK. A sense of mutual care and mutual cooperation is automatically created when a city’s resident is in ailment.

"We create this circumstance to improve people’s health. In a way that when one of the residents becomes ill or undergoes unfortunate experience, we help him together," he explained.

What is no less important in developing Surabaya healthy city is the contribution from the academic community and non-governmental organizations. For example, Airlangga University facilitates both Surabaya Emas and 1P1P (1 Neighborhood Health Center, 1 Pediatrician) programs. Meanwhile, Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), for instance, Tunas Hijau is active in increasing the awareness of students to keenly participate in protecting and nurturing the environment. Some of the activities carried out by Tunas Hijau include the selection of Environmental Prince and Princess, socialization on disaster mitigation and beach clean-up activities by the students. Furthermore, the WASH Coalition consisting of UNICEF, Wahana Visi, Kotaku, IUWASH, WC-Koe, Habitat for Humanity, Pertamina, Pelindo and several other institutions plays a central role in realizing community-based total sanitation in this second largest city in Indonesia.

Cak Eri added that due to the strong synergy, health management in Surabaya had been integrated from upstream to downstream. Starting from improving health services in hospitals and neighborhood health centers, quickly managing spread of diseases, eradicating stunting, realizing open defecation free (ODF) and providing health insurance for all residents of Surabaya.

Eri assured that Surabaya City Government would continue to work hard to improve the welfare of its citizens. One of the efforts to achieve the goal is by registering in the WHO SEARO Healthy Cities network. With this registration, Surabaya will be accompanied and assisted by WHO SEARO, WHO Indonesia and the National Healthy Cities Forum regarding how to improve the quality of physical and mental well-being of the city’s residents as well as the quality of the city’s development in general.

According to WHO, a healthy city is a city that continuously improves its physical and social conditions and expands community resources so as to facilitate citizens to achieve their maximum potential. The World Health Organization has 6 (six) representative offices throughout the world and for the Southeast Asia region, it is named SEARO which stands for South East Asia Region.

Cak Wali signed a letter registering Surabaya in WHO SEARO Healthy Cities Network (HCN) on January 11, 2024. In the letter, Eri wrote that Surabaya City Government strengthened its commitment to implement a healthy city and was ready to integrate and synergize between Surabaya's Healthy City programs with global standards and WHO SEARO HCN’s norms.

The first meeting between WHO SEARO, WHO Indonesia and the National Healthy Cities Forum with Surabaya City Government and Surabaya Healthy City Forum was held on January 14, 2024. Led by General Administrative Assistant and also attended by Head of The Board of Regional Planning and Research Development (Bappedalitbang) as well as representatives from local government working units, Surabaya City Government expressed its readiness to take part in the WHO SEARO Healthy City certification.

The National Healthy Cities Forum, represented by Yuni Dwi Purwani, stated that the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Health appreciated the good intentions of Surabaya Mayor to increase the welfare and well-being of its citizens by registering in the WHO SEARO healthy cities network.

"I have conveyed Surabaya's wish to join WHO SEARO healthy cities network to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Health. Both Ministries really appreciate the initiative of the mayor," Yuni emphasized. This initiative strengthens Surabaya's commitment to support the Healthy Indonesia program at the national level.

Dengan berbagai keberhasilan dan pencapaian pembangunan kesehatan pada tahun 2023, sama sekali tidak membuat Bapak Walikota Surabaya, Eri Cahyadi, berpuas diri. Tidak surut semangat dan harapan dari Cak Wali untuk membuat Kota Surabaya naik kelas dan berkiprah di kancah kesehatan internasional.

Setelah mencetak rekor prevalensi stunting terendah di Indonesia berdasarkan Studi Status Gizi Indonesia, Kota Surabaya kembali menorehkan sejarah dengan deklarasi 100% bebas buang air besar sembarangan pada bulan Maret 2023. Kota Surabaya juga berhasil mempertahankan predikat terbaik pertama pada penilaian kinerja stunting oleh Kemendagri 2 (dua) tahun berturut-turut. Selain itu, Kota Surabaya mendapat berbagai penghargaan di skala nasional dan internasional, seperti penghargaan ASEAN Environmentally Sustainable City, penanganan Covid-19, Integrasi Layanan Primer, Kota Surabaya Bebas Frambosia, terbaik pertama dalam inovasi pergerakan masyarakat dalam pelaksanaan imunisasi, serta pelaksanaan Universal Health Coverage yang mencapai 100%. Yang tak kalah istimewa, Kota Surabaya mempertahankan predikat Kota Sehat Swastisaba Wistara kali Ketiga yang merupakan kategori kota sehat tertinggi di Indonesia. Disamping itu, Kota Surabaya meraih gelar perdana sebagai terbaik 1 Nasional STBM Award kategori Pratama. Dengan semua prestasi tersebut beserta upaya yang sistematis dan berkesinambungan untuk mewujudkan kota sehat nan cerdas, Kota Surabaya dipilih oleh Kementerian Kesehatan untuk mewakili Indonesia di World Health City Forum atau Forum Kota Sehat Dunia yang diselenggarakan di Korea Selatan pada bulan November 2023.

Cak Wali menyampaikan bahwa formula sukses berbagai capaian pelaksanaan kota sehat di Surabaya adalah kolaborasi semua pemangku kepentinan. Hal ini sesuai dengan arti dan tujuan diselenggarkannya kota sehat. Penyelenggaraan kota sehat adalah perwujudan suatu kondisi kota yang bersih, indah, nyaman, aman dan sehat untuk dihuni penduduk yang dicapai melalui terselenggaranya penerapan 9 (sembilan) tatanan dan kegiatan yang terintegrasi dan disepakati masyarakat dengan Pemerintah Kota. Adapun 9 (sembilan) tatanan kota sehat antara lain:

1. Kehidupan Masyarakat yang sehat mandiri
2. Permukiman dan fasilitas umum
3. Satuan Pendidikan
4. Pasar
5. Perkantoran dan Perindustrian
6. Pariwisata sehat
7. Transportasi dan tertib lalu lintas jalan
8. Perlindungan social
9. Penanganan bencana

Walikota Eri Cahyadi menerangkan bahwa keberhasilan pelaksanaan kota sehat di Kota Surabaya tak luput dari adanya kerja keras dari seluruh elemen masyarakat di Kota Pahlawan.

"Ada Forum Kota Sehat (FKS) di tingkat kota, kecamatan dan kelurahan. Ada juga integrasi pelayanan kesehatan primer di puskesmas, pustu dan posyandu keluarga. Disamping itu, ada Kampung Madani. Dengan Kampung Madani, pergerakan kesehatan juga bisa berjalan sampai di level bawah," tutur Walikota Eri.

Wali kota yang juga akrab disapa Cak Eri itu mengungkapkan, diraihnya berbagai prestasi dalam pelaksanaan kota sehat ini juga tak luput dari kerja keras dari ketua RT, RW, LPMK, Kader Surabaya Hebat (KSH), Tim Pendamping Keluarga (TPK), hingga Tim Penggerak (TP) PKK. Semua berperan serta aktif sehingga tercipta rasa saling peduli dan gotong royong ketika ada warga yang sakit.

"Ini terus kita bentuk, supaya jangan sampai lagi ada warga yang sakit. Jadi kalau ada yang sakit, atau hal lainnya, itu kita bentuk (tangani) bersama," ungkapnya.

Yang tak kalah penting dalam pembangunan kota sehat Surabaya adalah kontribusi dari civitas akademika serta lembaga swadaya masyarakat. Sebagai contoh, Universitas Airlangga memfasilitasi program Surabaya Emas dan 1P1P (1 Puskesmas 1 Pediatrician). Sedangkan LSM seperti Tunas Hijau bergerak untuk meningkatkan kesadaran pelajar Kota Surabaya agar berpartisipasi aktif dalam melindungi dan menjaga lingkungan. Beberapa kegiatan yang dilaksanakan oleh Tunas Hijau antara lain, pemilihan Putra dan Putri Lingkungan Hidup, sosialisasi mitigasi bencana serta kegiatan pelajar bersih-bersih pantai. Lebih lanjut, Koalisi WASH yang terdiri dari UNICEF, Wahana Visi, Kotaku, IUWASH, WC-Koe, Habitat for Humanity, Pertamina, Pelindo dan beberapa lembaga lainnya memegang peranan sentral dalam perwujudan sanitasi total berbasis masyarakat di kota terbesar kedua di Indonesia ini.

Cak Eri menambahkan bahwa dikarenakan sinergi kuat tersebut, penanganan kesehatan di Kota Surabaya sudah terintegrasi dari hulu sampai hilir. Mulai dari peningkatan pelayanan kesehatan di Rumah Sakit dan Puskesmas, gerak cepat dalam menangani penyebaran penyakit, penanganan stunting, open defecation free (ODF) serta jaminan kesehatan untuk seluruh warga Kota Surabaya.

Eri memaparkan bahwa Pemerintah Kota Surabaya akan terus bekerja keras demi meningkatkan derajat kesehatan warganya. Salah satunya dengan mendaftar pada jejaring Kota Sehat WHO SEARO. Dengan pendaftaran tersebut, Surabaya akan didampingi oleh WHO SEARO, WHO Indonesia serta Forum Kota Sehat Nasional terkait bagaimana cara untuk meningkatkan kualitas kesehatan fisik dan mental dari warga kota serta kualitas pembangunan kota secara keseluruhan.

Kota sehat menurut WHO adalah kota yang secara berkesinambungan meningkatkan kondisi fisik dan sosialnya serta memperluas sumber daya komunitas sehingga memfasilitasi warga untuk mencapai potensi maksimum mereka. Organisasi kesehatan dunia (WHO) mempunyai 6 (enam) kantor perwakilan di seluruh dunia dan untuk kawasan Asia Tenggara dinamakan SEARO yang merupakan kepanjangan dari South East Asia Region.

Walikota Eri Cahyadi menandatangani surat pendaftaran Kota Surabaya menuju WHO pada tanggal 11 Januari 2024. Di dalam surat tersebut, Eri menjelaskan bahwa Pemerintah Kota Surabaya memperkuat komitmennya dalam pelaksanaan kota sehat serta siap mengintegrasikan dan mensinergikan program Kota Sehat Surabaya dengan norma WHO SEARO dan standar kesehatan di kancah internasional.

Pertemuan pertama antara WHO SEARO, WHO Indonesia dan Forum Kota Sehat Nasional dengan Pemerintah Kota Surabaya dan Forum Kota Sehat Surabaya telah dilaksanakan pada tanggal 14 Januari 2024. Dipimpin oleh Ibu Asisten Administrasi Umum dan juga dihadiri oleh Kepala Bappedalitbang Kota Surabaya serta perwakilan dari Perangkat Daerah, Pemerintah Kota Surabaya menyatakan kesiapan mengikuti sertifikasi Kota Sehat WHO SEARO.

Forum Kota Sehat Nasional yang diwaliki oleh Ibu Yuni Dwi Purwani menyampaikan bahwa Kementerian Dalam Negeri dan Kementerian Kesehatan mengapresiasi itikad baik dari Bapak Walikota Surabaya untuk lebih mensejahterakan warganya dari sektor fisik maupun social melalui jejaring kota sehat WHO SEARO.

“Saya sudah menyampaikan keinginan Kota Surabaya untuk mengikuti jejaring kota sehat WHO SEARO ke Kemendagri dan Kemenkes. Kedua Kementerian sangat mengapresiasi inisitiatif dari Bapak Walikota Surabaya,” Yuni menegaskan. Hal ini memperkuat komitmen Kota Surabaya dalam mendukung program Indonesia Sehat di level nasional.