IO, Surabaya – Good news from students at the Faculty of Public Health (FKM) University of Airlangga (Unair) Banyuwangi. A FKM Unair Banyuwangi team consisting of Syahrul Ramadhan, Anjali Putri Agustin, and Afan Alfayad, managed to secure an achievement in the “Public Health Award Competition (PHAC) 2021” Scientific Writing Competition.
The Public Health Award Competition (PHAC) is a part of activities to celebrate the 18th Indonesian Public Health Student Senate Association (ISMKMI) National Conference hosted by the Faculty of Public Health of North Sumatra University. PHAC consists of several categories, including poster-making, scientific writing, and an educational video competition. Each competition category carries the same theme, “Innovation and the Role of the Millennial Generation in Improving Public Health Degrees during the Covid-19 Pandemic”.
Entitled “Edu-Proton (Health Protocol Education): Empowerment Program Based Ideas by Cadres of Student Executive Board (BEM) to Improve Health Protocol Compliance in Banyuwangi Regency Community”, the work from Unair team won first place, defeating finalists from Semarang State University, North Sumatra University, General Soedirman State University, and Muhammadiyah University of East Kalimantan.
Based on a statement of Syahrul Ramadhan, the selection of ideas was motivated by the high number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 every day. A study of relevant literature conducted by the team points to this phenomenon happened due to the large number of people who do not comply with the 5M health protocol (wearing a mask, washing hands with soap and running water, maintaining safe distance, moving away from crowds, and limiting mobilization and interaction).
“The idea came up from a problem: the lack of compliance in the community; then there is a potential solution: BEM cadres from each higher education institution in Banyuwangi,” explained Syahrul, as quote by Unair. ac.id, Friday (4/6/2021).
BEM cadres, he continued, are college BEM members in Banyuwangi who will educate their families and neighbors regarding health protocols. The universities concerned were Universitas Airlangga PSDKU Banyuwangi, Rustida Health Academy, Indonesian Aviation Academy, Blambangan Islamic College (STIB), Banyuwangi State Polytechnic, PGRI Banyuwangi University, Bakti Indonesia University, Institute of Health Sciences Banyuwangi (Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Kesehatan-“Stikes”), Marine Academy of Banyuwangi, and 17 August University Banyuwangi.
Cadres will be trained online through the Zoom meeting by speakers from the Covid-19 Task Force and the Health Office in Banyuwangi. The implementation of education by cadres is carried out offline, while applying strict health protocols. Monitoring and evaluation will be conducted online.
Syahrul also explained that the Student Executive Board (BEM) members from Banyuwangi institutions were involved because cadres from their own regions could better understand the nature of society, so education could be easily conveyed and understood by the community.
“Empowerment of cadres from BEM is what makes our idea different from other empowerment; moreover, the main targets we have set are their families and neighbors who are closer to them,” concluded the class of 2019 Public Health undergraduate student. (*/est)