President University's (PresUniv) plans to establish a Medical Faculty continues to move forward. This is in line with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between President University and the Bekasi Regency Government. The MoU contains the understanding between PresUniv and the Bekasi Regency Government for the development of an Academic Health System (AHS) in the Bekasi Regency. The MoU was signed by the Rector of PresUniv Prof. Dr. Chairy and Plt. Bekasi Regent H. Akhmad Marjuki, SE, MM., Jababeka Golf & Country Club, Cikarang, Bekasi, on Wednesday (20/4).
AHS is a collaborative ecosystem that involves three parties, namely health service providers in Bekasi Regency, such as clinics, Community Health Centers, Bekasi Regency Hospitals, and private hospitals; industry (which have in-house clinics, insurance firms,Occupational Health and Safety; and the Faculty of Medicine (FoM) PresUniv. Through this collaboration, it is hoped that higher-quality health care institutions and systems will emerge.
Attending the event were, Prof. Dr. Ir. Budi Susilo Soepandji, DEA, Chairperson of the President University Education Foundation (YPUP), the vice rectors, such as Handa S. Abidin, S.H., LL.M., Ph.D., Vice Rector for Academic and Student Affairs, Dr. Dra. Fennieka Kristianto, S.H., M.H., M.A., M.Kn., Vice Rector for Resources, and Dr. Josep Ginting, Vice Rector for Business Development, and the deans.
From the support team, attending was the Dean of the FoM, PresUniv, Prof. Dr. Budi Setiabudiawan, dr., Sp.A(K), M. Kes., and Edhyana Kusumastuti Sahiratmadja, dr., Ph. D., Head of Medical Studies Program.
Also present were the Dean of the FoM, Universitas Padjadjaran (Unpad), Prof. Dr. Yudi Mulyana Hidayat, dr., SpOG(K)-Onk, DMAS. (FoM Unpad is guiding PresUniv through the process of establishing its own FoM).
Meanwhile, from the Bekasi Regency Government, the Regional Secretary Drs. Dedy Supriyadi, MM., the Head of the Health Office, dr. Sri Enny Mainiarti, Regional Cooperation Coordination team, and other staff. In addition, Plt. Director of Bekasi Regency General Hospital (RSUD), dr. H. Alamsyah, M.Kes., along with the board of directors of RSUD.
In his speech, Prof. Budi Susilo Soepandji said, “PresUniv has not only established the FoM but also wants to participate in building AHS in Bekasi Regency. We are aware that building AHS will not be an easy task. We need government support, including that of the Bekasi Regency Government.” So, continued Prof. Budi Susilo, the MoU is an expression of support from the Bekasi Regency Government for PresUniv's plan to establish a Faculty of Medicine. "The signing of this MoU is a symbol that we will work together to realize the AHS in Bekasi Regency," he stressed
Meanwhile, Plt. Regent Akhmad Marjuki appreciated PresUniv's plan to establish a Medical Faculty. He said, “After hearing the explanation about AHS, I state that this collaboration between the Bekasi Regency Government and PresUniv really must be realized. AHS should not only be a symbol.”
The signed MoU is expected to be the basis for PresUniv and the Bekasi Regency Government to work together to develop the AHS in Bekasi Regency. The parties will continue to develop the AHS and will move towards preparing the Cooperation Agreement.
Lack of Doctors, Inequality Distribution
Currently, the increase in the number of doctors in Indonesia is increasingly urgent. “The number of doctors is still lacking. So, it must be added,” said Prof. Yudi Mulyana, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Unpad, in his speech at the event.
The Covid-19 pandemic that has hit Indonesia and the rest of the world has taught a lesson that the World Health Organization (WHO) standards are not adequate. WHO sets a standard of 1 doctor per 10,000 population. Under normal conditions, the standard may be sufficient. However, in the event of a health catastrophe, such as a pandemic or other outbreak, the number is very less. This is certainly very detrimental because there will be victims who cannot be helped, including victims from among doctors and health workers. That's what happened during the Covid-19 pandemic in Indonesia and other countries.
The Covid-19 pandemic reminds us that increasing the number of doctors, including supporting facilities, is now a necessity. Do not let the health disaster, which claimed many victims due to the lack of doctors, be repeated again.
This condition has the potential to occur. Along with globalization, the interaction between countries and citizens of the world has become increasingly intensive. This makes the disease can quickly spread from one country to another, from one area to another. That is what happened during the Covid-19 pandemic. So, an outbreak or a pandemic can happen at any time.
Meanwhile, on the other hand, the distribution of doctors in Indonesia is still not evenly distributed. "The distribution of doctors is still a problem," said Prof. Yudi Mulyana. In big cities, there are many doctors, but in small towns, it is the other way around. If a pandemic or outbreak occurs, this will certainly complicate handling and increase the risk.
Data from the Ministry of Health for 2019 revealed that DKI Jakarta has 6-7 general practitioners for every 10,000 populations. This is well above WHO standards. However, the neighboring provinces, namely Banten and West Java, only have 1 general practitioner per 10,000 population. Similar portraits also occurred in the provinces of West Sulawesi, East Nusa Tenggara, West Sulawesi, and Maluku.
Apart from the lack of doctors, their distribution is also a problem. The establishment of the FoM at PresUniv is expected to contribute to solving these challenges.
The Faculty of Medicine, PresUniv, will have several advantages. First, the campus is located in the Jababeka industrial area, the largest industrial area in Southeast Asia. This area is home to 2,000 national and multinational companies from various countries. All these companies employ about 1 million employees, including expatriates. For this reason, the Faculty of Medicine, PresUniv, will pay great attention to issues of Occupational Health and Safety in the industrial environment.
Second, the Faculty of Medicine, PresUniv, will focus on primary health services by increasing preventive and promotive efforts. The FoM will not only carry out the function of education but also want its presence to have an impact on the community. This will be achieved through a series of community service and research activities.
Third, lecture activities at PresUniv use English. This also applies to the Faculty of Medicine. Nowadays, the ability to speak English is very important. Many journals, scientific publications, or international events use English. In addition, English is also required for PresUniv students or graduates who want to expand their network to an international level.
By mastering English, the opportunities for students and graduates of the Faculty of Medicine, PresUniv, to develop themselves will be more open. With this ability, it also opens up opportunities for all graduates of the FoM to have a career abroad.
