In the middle of the Covid-19 outbreak situation, stay at home does not mean people cannot do something beneficial. This time, UGM students merged into volunteering. Several students of the Pharmacist Professional Study Program (PSPA) UGM Faculty of Pharmacy participated in volunteering in managing the Corona Monitoring System (CMS).
The CMS management program is organized by the Regional Government (Pemda) of the Special Region of Yogyakarta, through the DIY Communication and Information Agency (Kominfo). CMS management aims to assist the process of data entry for patients indicated by ODP, PDP, as well as positive confirmation of Covid-19, who conducts examinations at referral hospitals for Covid-19, DIY Health Office, and DIY Communication and Information Agency in DIY.
These data are used to monitor the condition of the Covid-19 pandemic that occurred in DIY. In addition to volunteering in the CMS program, some students also involved themselves as volunteers who served in the Covid-19-TB Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing (FKKMK) UGM.
They are in charge of the sample loading team. The activities are undertaken to unload the samples received from the referral hospital, then provide barcodes and make aliquots on the samples for pre-screening treatment using PCR.
Several Pharmacist Professional Study Program (PSPA) UGM Faculty of Pharmacy are listed along with their assignments, including Fathul Muin, S.Farm (UGM RSA), Fajar Pramesti, S.Farm (Nyi Ageng Serang Kulon Progo Hospital), Asti Safitri Karyanetyas, S.Farm (RS Santa Elisabeth Bantul), and Elisabeth Tri Pudya Handayani, S.Farm (RSUD Sleman). There are also Lia Rachmawati and Pradita Widyaningrum, S.Farm (Pratama Yogyakarta Hospital), Nadzifa Nugraheni (Prambanan District Hospital), Atika Hanum, S.Farm (19-TB Covid Laboratory, FKKMK UGM), Sonia Pratiwi, S.Farm (Covid Laboratory 19-TB, FKKMK UGM), Ayu Pramesthi, S. Farm (NGO Conscience moves), and Lisyaratih, S. Farm. They help to donate hand sanitizer for market traders.
Sonia Pratiwi, one of the volunteers on duty at the 19-TB Covid Laboratory, FKKMK UGM, said she began working on April 16, 2020. While CMS volunteers began actively serving in every referral hospital, the Health Service, and the Communication and Information Office from April 27 to April. May 29, 2020.
“Before active duty, coordination and training on technical procedures for the assignment and management of the online CMS were held via the Zoom platform on April 26, 2020. This coordination involved all volunteers, representatives from each hospital, the DIY Health Service, and the DIY Communication and Information Agency,” said Tiwi, at UGM Campus on Thursday (5/28)
Pradita Widyaningrum said the main task of CMS volunteers was to help ease the hospital’s responsibilities, the Health Office, and the Office of Communication and Information in conducting data entry. CMS itself is an application that is one of the efforts to handle Covid-19 by the Regional Government of DIY.
“This application can also be used to find the list of the use of medical consumables available in the hospital. Therefore the Health Service as distribution agents can monitor them,” Pradita said.
According to Atika Hanum, what motivated several students to become volunteers was to take part in the handling of Covid-19, especially in the DIY region. For him, the most important thing is not the size of the role performed but rather the sincerity of being able to participate in volunteering and helping others.
Sonia Pratiwi added that volunteering is a calling to be moved to take a role in overcoming this pandemic. It is coming from their heart calls, so when undergoing the task becomes unencumbered and arises, pleasure and gratitude still have the opportunity to share in efforts to overcome the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The work environment is also fun, although initially, I was dizzy or unhealthy because I was not accustomed to using a complete PPE, finally got used to it,” she said.
Fathul Muin, who served at UGM RSA, hopes that all levels of society can unite against the Covid-19 pandemic. It can start from a simple one, which is from each of you by always implementing a clean and healthy lifestyle. Besides, following the government’s recommendations and expected to help each other fellow communities affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Hoping all parties involved remain patient and always meet the needs, safe, healthy always to be able to fight,” explained Fathul.
Feeling concerned about the current condition, Fajar Pramesti hopes that the Indonesian situation due to the Covid-19 pandemic will soon improve. He also hopes that people can move back to the New Normal Era without worrying about other things.
“Hopefully, we can take lessons from this disaster, one of which is that we can accustom a healthier life,” Fajar added.
The chair of the PSPA pharmacist, Ika Puspitasari, Ph.D., fully supports the students involved in becoming volunteers. Even so, he warned to pay attention to health protocols still.
“Hopefully, this pandemic can end soon. We can all resume normal activities, and I hope that the community can implement social distancing and physical distancing and maintain cleanliness so that the Covid-19 transmission chain can be stopped,” Fajar added.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Translator: Natasa A