In a ceremony held on March 4th 2010,  Makassar city’s secretary, H.M. Anis Kama laid the first stone to initiate construction of the second AUSAID funded Healthy Market located within  the Panakkukang traditional wet market in Makassar. The ceremony was also attended by director of the city’s planning board, director of markets, heads of related municipal agencies, CHF staff as well as local vendors.

Mr. M. Jamal (Head Makassar City Markets), Mr. Anis Kama (Makassar City Scretary), Mr. Charles Kushner (CHF Program Director) at the ceremonial

In his address to the invitees, CHF’s program director, Charles Kushner, stressed that  developing a hygenic infrastructure was just one component in creating a healthy market.An equally important factor is the mind set of the end users. Creation of new facilities must be coupled with behavior change intended to increase bio-security by promoting practices which reduce the risk for exposure to, and transmission of, infectious diseases including avian influenza (AI).

Mr. Jamaluddin, the director of the city markets, then expressed his gratitude to CHF for initiating the Healthy Market pilot project in two of Makassar’s markets. He expressed his hopes that the local market communities would support CHF’s program by implementing the bio security enhancing practices both inside and outside the market.

In the closing speech, Mr Anis Kama, the secretary of the city, emphasized that the Healthy Market Program initiated by CHF involved many related agencies and that he expected good  coordination between all involved parties in order to achieve the goals of program.

Mr. Anis Kama (Makassar City Scretary), Laying the first stone