According to the 2021 International Diabetes Federation data, Indonesia ranks fifth in the world for the highest number of diabetes cases, following China, India, Pakistan, and the United States.
Currently, 19.5 million Indonesians have diabetes, and this number is expected to rise. Therefore, concrete steps are necessary to address this issue.
Prolanis is a healthcare service system, and a proactive approach is carried out in an integrated manner involving participants, healthcare facilities, and BPJS Kesehatan as the health insurance provider.
Prolanis, short for the Chronic Disease Management Program, aims to support chronic disease patients in achieving an optimal quality of life.
Yuniantika from Gadjah Mada Medical Center (GMC) stated that the Prolanis program targets individuals with diabetes mellitus (diabetes) and hypertension (high blood pressure).
The program also aims to increase the public’s knowledge and understanding of these two major diseases.
“Diabetes and hypertension are known as non-communicable diseases closely related to lifestyle and can be hereditary. These diseases require long-term, even lifelong management,” Yuniantika said during a health education event commemorating Senior Citizens Day at GMC on Wednesday (May 29).
“If not properly managed, they can lead to complications such as kidney disease, heart disease, and stroke.”
Yuniantika explained that the prevention of diabetes and hypertension can be divided into two levels: primary prevention and secondary prevention.
Primary prevention targets healthy individuals who have not yet fallen ill, while secondary prevention targets those with the disease to prevent it from worsening or leading to complications.
Prolanis activities focus on secondary prevention, considering the disease burden. Prolanis activities include routine health checks, consultations, health education (counseling), regular laboratory tests, reminders and monitoring (health status tracking), and physical exercise.
“May 29 is celebrated as Senior Citizens Day. This year, the theme is ‘Well-Cared Seniors, Dignified Indonesia.’ Prolanis is a platform to manage elderly individuals with chronic diseases, where most Prolanis club members are elderly,” she explained.
During this event, Yuniantika mentioned that elderly individuals, according to their abilities, can participate in various community activities. This involvement keeps them healthy and empowered, supporting Indonesia’s vision of becoming a prosperous nation by 2045.
She added that Prolanis activities are expected to support sustainable development programs, particularly Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being. This goal aims to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all.
“The targets of SDG 3 and 4 include reducing deaths from non-communicable diseases and improving mental health. By 2030, the goal is to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases by one-third,” she added.
“We all hope this can be achieved through prevention and treatment, as well as enhancing mental health and well-being.”
Author: Agung Nugroho