MASKAPAI DOME
SCOME MSCIA UB
MASKAPAI DOME Podcast is a podcast series made by the Department of Medical Education MSCIA UB to provide information regarding the latest health and medical education issues. In this episode, the discussion is related to the uneven distribution of doctors in Indonesia, especially in 3T (terdepan, terpencil, tertinggal;rural) areas. Knowing work experiences in the 3T area is very important, and we hope this could increase the interest of medical students to work in the 3T area.
In this episode, we invite dr. Birgitta Stella Dewi H. who is currently working at Babulu Public Health Center, Malacca Regency, East Nusa Tenggara. This doctor, whose nickname is dr. Bebe has worked for 1.5 years in Malacca. dr. Bebe has experienced and learned a lot from society's culture, such as the belief in ancestors to seek treatment, especially in fractures and circumcision. She said that the health facilities at the public health centers in Malacca are growing very fast to comply with the Ministry of Health Indonesia standards. In addition, society also gets free medical services starting from polyclinic treatments to referrals. This is a positive development of public health in the 3T area.
Many things were obtained by dr. Bebe during her work at 3T area. Firstly, she felt like having to teach and build the human resources at the clinic from zero. Then she organized a mobile health center (PUSLING) to meet the people around. With minimum equipment, doctors in the 3T area must be more creative due to the difficult and often rejected patient referral. However, all the exhaustion that they feel has finally paid off once they meet their patient. People of Malacca feel excited just to see a doctor, which is expected because Malacca did not have a doctor for about six months.
At the end of the conversation, dr. Bebe advised medical students to try to get out of their comfort zone. Working in the 3T areas is not that bad. We got nothing to lose when it comes to gaining experience and evolving skills. Besides that, working at 3T areas helps us know the health condition and life of the people in the 3T area. If there are more doctors in 3T area, people would not need to drive too far away, like they usually have to. Currently, they have to drive a rugged terrain for more than 1 hour to see a doctor. dr. Bebe also said by working in the 3T area along with government programs, we will get several benefits, such as an opportunity to get a free scholarship for residency from the local government.
Us, as medical students, hold a significant role in equalizing the distribution of doctors in Indonesia. Our awareness is a form of our contribution to advance health services in Indonesia.
