Professor of Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine (FK) Universitas Indonesia (UI), Prof. Dr. Tjandra Yoga Aditama, Sp.P(K), MARS, DTM&H, DTCE, FISR, received four letters of appreciation from various local and foreign institutions. This appreciation is in recognition of his contribution to increasing public understanding of health during the Covid-19 pandemic. At that time, Prof. Tjandra wrote 254 articles or opinions which were published in various mass media.
The four appreciations were given by the Deputy Chair of the People’s Consultative Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia (MPR RI), Coordinator for the Absorption of Community and Regional Aspirations, Dr. Lestari Moerdijat, S.S., M.M. on September 8th 2023 and member of the Presidential Advisory Council H.R. Agung Laksono on September 15th 2023. Meanwhile two other appreciations came from abroad which were given on September 20th 2023, by Regional Director of The Union Asia Pacific Tara Singh Bam and Program Director Australia Indonesia Health Security Partnership (AIHSP) John Leigh.
During the pandemic, Prof. Tjandra actively provided accurate and relevant health information through the various articles or opinions he wrote. This contribution of thought played an important role in supporting the government’s efforts to combat the spread of false information or hoaxes about health which often appear in society. These articles were then published in a book entitled “Covid-19 in the Writings of Prof. Tjandra.” This book aims to be a note or portrait of the situation and challenges of Covid-19, both in Indonesia and other countries.
The book consists of four volumes with various discussions. Volume 1 of the book was published in December 2020, containing 36 articles covering the Covid-19 disease and pandemic, other health problems that need to be addressed, vaccines, and several other aspects affected by the pandemic. Volume 2 of the book was published in March 2021, this book contains 51 articles which are a continuation of the first volume and always follow developments in the pandemic situation at that time. The material in the second volume covers vaccine development, Covid-19 transmission, virus mutations, and other disease problems that need to be addressed during the pandemic.
Furthermore, Volume 3 of the book was published in August 2021 and contains 77 articles. The material in it includes the increase in Covid-19 cases, the conditions for implementing Emergency Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) in Indonesia, the development of new variants and mutations of Covid-19, vaccinations, and the development of the pandemic throughout the world. The final volume, Volume 4, was published in July 2022, containing 81 articles covering various aspects regarding Covid-19, the Omicron variant, and the transition situation from pandemic to endemic.
Prof. Tjandra graduated from general practitioner education at FKUI in 1980. He continued his diploma education at the Research Institute of Tuberculosis, Tokyo in 1987 with a concentration in Tuberculosis Control and Epidemiology. In 1988, he successfully completed his specialist education in Pulmonology at FKUI and completed his Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (DTM&H) at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, England in 1994.
Then, Prof. Tjandra also completed his master’s degree with a concentration in Hospital Administration Science at UI in 1998. It didn’t stop there, Prof. Tjandra was inaugurated as a Permanent Professor at FKUI in the field of Pulmonology and Respiratory Medicine in 2008 and received the honorary title of Adjunct Professor in the Center for Environment and Population Health from Griffith University, Australia.
“With the award he received, Prof. Tjandra Yoga Aditama has become one of the main figures in the world of health in Indonesia, who has provided valuable guidance in facing health challenges during the pandemic. Hopefully, his dedication and commitment can be an example for all of us, to continue fighting to maintain the health and welfare of society, and not get tired of fighting hoaxes circulating in society, especially hoaxes in the health sector,” said Prof. Dr. dr. Ari Fahrial, Sp.PD-KGEH., MMB., Dean of FKUI.