The Faculty of Public Health, University of Indonesia (FKM UI) had the honour to host the 2022 Virtual Public Health Study Tour (VPHST), an intensive two-week program for Australian students seeking to learn and gain experience in Indonesia. This year’s VPHST, the 11th of its kind, included a series of interactive lectures and visits to health facilities as well as organisations and communities related to public health.
FKM UI has held its VPSHT sessions in collaboration with the Australian Consortium for InCountry Indonesian Studies (ACICIS) since 2016. At first, the tour was only held for four days, but upon seeing enthusiasm coming from the participants and the participating universities and their positive attitude towards the tour, its duration was extended to 14 days. The field visit was also expanded to include Jakarta, Depok, and Bogor. The program in Yogyakarta , previously under ACICIS, has been part of the program run by FKM UI since 2018.
FKM UI’s field study of public health centres (puskesmas) all over Yogyakarta was conducted with Universitas Respati Yogyakarta (UNRIYO) as an organising partner. The Dean of FKM UI, Prof. Dr. Mondastri Korib Sudaryo, M.S, D.Sc., was also present on the occasion. In the opening speech, he stressed the importance of VPHST towards the academic reputation of FKM UI, which is trying to establish footholds in the arena of international academia.
“The inbound activities of foreign students in FKM UI, such as VPHST, which has been held at FKM UI since 2016, are very important for the academic reputation of FKM UI which is currently moving towards internationalisation. FKM UI’s academic reputation will also be part of UI’s academic reputation in the international arena,” Prof. Mondastri said. “In particular, the PHST inbound program at FKM UI will stimulate academic internationalisation activities at FKM UI on a larger scale.”
The event was also attended by several other speakers, including representatives from the Ministry of Health, the National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN), Samsara, and Rifka Annisa.
Besides FKM UI, representatives from three other faculties in UI — Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), the Faculty of Humanities (FIB), and the Faculty of Nursing (FIK) — were also present as speakers. Representatives from several hospitals, including RSMM, RSKO, and UI’s own hospital RSUI were also present, and along them were those from public health centres and healthcare service posts.
A part of the series of events is a seminar held from the 2nd to 16th of July, 2022. The seminar covered several interesting topics on the state of public healthcare in Indonesia, such as Introduction to Indonesia, General Overview of Indonesian Public Health System, Indonesia Health Development Overview in the context of Covid-19 Pandemic, Covid-19 Pandemic in Indonesia, Disaster Mitigation in Indonesia, DHF and Malaria, Nutrition and Food Safety, Non-communicable Diseases, Sexual and Reproductive Health, HIV, Mental Health, dan Neglected Diseases. Participants were given the chance to discuss the topics in groups every day of the week. At the end of each week, each group was to present the topic each has discussed.
Other activities attended by the 18 participants included virtual field visits to hospitals, health centers, posyandu, the rehabilitation centre run by the Christian Foundation for Public Health (YAKKUM), Kali Code Community (a residents’ association), World Mosquito Program, and Reduce Reuse Recycle Waste Management Sites (TPS 3R), as well as language courses taught at UI’s Lembaga Bahasa International (LBI UI). Participants also took part in cooking and dancing classes organised by LBI UI.
Among the Indonesian experts lecturing at, and guiding the participants through the tour, are Yudi Bachrioktora, S.Hum, M.A; Prof. dr. Purnawan Junadi, MPH, Ph.D; Dr. Ede Surya Darmawan, SKM, MDM; Dewi Nur Aisyah, SKM, MSc, DIC, PhD; Dr. dr. Brian Sriprahastuti, MPH; Prof. Dr. dr. Sabarinah, M.Sc.; dr. Iwan Ariawan, MSPH; Prof. Dr. Fatma Lestari, M.Sc., Ph.D; Ahmad Syafiq, Ph.D; Agustin Kusumayati, Ph.D; Prof. Dr. dr. Ratna Djuwita Hatma, MPH; Dien Ansari, Ph.D; Dra. Omas Bulan Samosir; Prof. dr. Mondastri Korib Sudaryo, M.S., D.Sc.; dr. Nia Reviani, MAPS; Prof. Dr. Budi Anna Keliat, MappSc.; and Dr. dr. Tri Yunis Miko Wahyono, M.Sc.
