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As a tropical country, Indonesia has a relatively high prevalence of worm disease which varies between 2,5%–62%. This makes worms one of the most common parasites causing tropical infectious disease which infected around 13 millions preschool aged children and 37 millions elementary school aged children. In addition, data from the Ministry of Health Indonesia in 2015 showed that 6–12 years old children are susceptible to contracting intestinal worms through their daily activities which are transmitted through land and contaminated food or water. Poor sanitation that still occurs in Indonesia, reaching only 40%–60% cities with good access to healthy sanitation, and poor implementation of healthy living behavior have also influenced the occurrence of worm disease especially among elementary school aged children. This issue becomes more important since worm disease can lead to poor health conditions, such as anemia, malnutrition, growth and immunity disturbance, and cognitive decline. Thus, in order to raise public’s awareness regarding healthy lifestyle and worm disease prevention, SCOPH and SCORE CIMSA UI collaborated through an activity named WORMIES (Waspadai dan Cegah Risiko Cacingan melalui PHBS) X SGP (SCORE Goes to Public) Level IV that consists of air campaigns, online challenges, health seminars, and workshop.

WORMIES’ air campaign and online challenges encompassed several infographics about worm disease and its prevention, myths or facts quizzes, and twibbons. WORMIES also presented an educational video about meat processing, collaborating with the Department of Parasitology FKUI. The main event itself was held on 1st March 2023 at SDN 05, 07 Kalibaru which was also in collaboration with the Department of Parasitology FKUI. The event started with an educational seminar for both parents and 3rd–5th grade students simultaneously and topics around worm disease, its transmission, preventions, and healthy lifestyle implementations. We also held an educational workshop for students where SCOPH and SCORE members directly teached the students how to wash hand properly based on WHO’ six steps of handwashing and how to cut nails. Alongside the health seminars and workshop, we also performed research activities through data collecting using questionnaire to further see the knowledge, attitude, behavior, and socio-economy factors as risk factors for intestinal worm disease on children, also student’s feces sample collecting to be examined in the Laboratory. Through this activity, WORMIES were able to engage more than 40 general publics, also educate 160 students and 40 parents in SDN 05, 07 Kalibaru on healthy lifestyle and worm disease.

SCOPH
Standing Committee on Public Health

SCORE
Standing Committee on Research Exchange

CIMSA
Empowering Medical Students
Improving Nation's Health