The Center for Tropical Medicine (PKT) at the UGM Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing (FK-KMK UGM) organized an event titled Tropmed Talk on Stage with the theme “Innovating in Tuberculosis Elimination: Yes You(th) Can!”.
The event, which was attended by 200 eleventh-grade students, was held at SMA Negeri 10 Yogyakarta on Tuesday, Jul. 16, 2024.
This initiative was conducted in response to the ongoing tuberculosis (TB) crisis in Indonesia, which currently ranks as the second country with the highest TB cases in the world.
Professor Ari Probandari, coordinator of the TB working group at PKT UGM, emphasized that given the high number of TB cases in Indonesia, there is a pressing need to raise awareness about the disease.
This need extends to the younger generation, so this Tropmed Talk on Stage edition focused on TB and was conducted at a school.
“At the very least, participants should understand the signs and symptoms of TB so that if they or someone around them experience TB symptoms, they can immediately seek medical attention,” Professor Probandari explained.
Professor Probandari stated that such proactive efforts represent a form of community contribution to the TB detection initiative, which is in line with the government’s slogan “Find, Treat Until Cured” (TOSS TB).
Vivi Alfita Devi, a TB survivor, shared her concerns about the persistent stigma associated with TB patients. As a speaker at the event, she conveyed her message, hoping that people would shun the disease, not the patients.
She recounted in detail her experience of contracting TB and the long battle she faced during her treatment until recovery. “Unfortunately, even after recovery, I still had to face stigma at school, to the extent that I was asked to transfer schools,” Devi shared.
Dr. Rina Triasih, Director of Zero TB Yogyakarta and a physician at RSUP Sardjito, who treated Vivi Alfita Devi, explained that Devi’s TB case was particularly severe.
She expressed her deep concern; many of her TB patients are young and suffer from severe forms of the disease.
Dr. Triasih praised Devi’s resilience in overcoming severe TB and was pleased that after being declared cured, she was willing to educate others based on her personal experiences.
“Devi is now part of the Zero TB Youth Cadre, actively educating the public about TB through various creative means. Some of the products created by these youth cadres include content for social media reels and educational videos incorporating local culture, such as wayang kulit (shadow puppetry),” she explained.
Another speaker, Sekar Putri Andriani, representing the Center for Indonesia Medical Student’s Activities (CIMSA) UGM, discussed her organization’s TB-related activities and encouraged participants to engage in TB education efforts within their communities.
She highlighted that young people have great potential to educate the public about TB through the channels they frequently use. She also hoped that SMA Negeri 10 Yogyakarta students would become pioneers in these efforts.
“It starts with youth,” Sekar Putri Andriani wrote in her presentation. She encouraged participants to begin by targeting their families as the closest and most accessible group.
Sharing the same perspective, Siva Anggita, representing Indonesia Muda untuk Tuberculosis (IMUT TB), explained that IMUT TB, a movement she leads, has been active since 2019 and comprises young people dedicated to TB awareness.
During the event, she invited several participants to the stage, sparking ideas for TB education.
In a short time, ideas emerged for using social media to educate the public about TB. Social media, she pointed out, is an effective platform for health promotion regarding TB.
“Education by young people targeting other young people is crucial, as 30 percent of TB patients are young,” Anggita emphasized.
The Principal of SMA Negeri 10 Yogyakarta, Sri Moerni, expressed gratitude that her school was chosen as the venue for this event and acknowledged the importance of knowledge about TB.
“We hope that the students gain valuable insights from participating in this event,” said Sri Moerni.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Lintang