UNAIR NEWS – Indonesia is known as a country rich in natural resources. One of the abundant resources is the rhizome usually used as traditional medicine or often referred to as herbal medicine. Rhizomes have many health benefits. One of them is Javanese ginger (temulawak).
Temulawak gives many benefits as it has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant activities and it inhibits the growth of cancer cells, as well as prevents clogging of blood vessels. In fact, during a pandemic like this, herbal medicine has become a commodity receiving attention from many parties, from researchers, the public, to the government.
The East Java Provincial Government also see the existing opportunities. As stated the Vice Governor of East Java, Dr. H. Emil Elestianto Dardak, B.Bus., M.Sc. at a webinar event held by Traditional Medicine Program, Faculty of Vocational Medicine, Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR).
“I want to show that the East Java Provincial Government is committed to advancing traditional health services in East Java Province, especially with the existence of Covid-19, we are aware of the importance of going back to nature,” he explained in a webinar held on Saturday, September 12, 2020.
“We should not just see traditional medicine only as a curative process, but it should also be an integrated promotion and preventive effort, as well as an effort to carry out treatment in a sustainable manner, “he added.
Based on Basic Health Research data in 2018, 44.3 percent of people used traditional health services, either through health practitioners or their own efforts. “This percentage could have increased significantly because people have started to realize the importance of using traditional medicine as an effort to maintain body condition,” said the man who got a doctorate degree in Development Economics at Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Japan at the age of 22.
In promoting traditional health services, the Provincial Government of East Java plans to issue a regulation regarding the protection of traditional medicines. “We (the East Java Government, ed) will formulate this regulation on the recommendation of DPRD to improve the credibility and protection of traditional medicine agents. There is even one long-term concept, called the herbal hospital, “said Emil.
On May 27, 2020, the East Java Government issued a circular addressed to all regents and mayors. The contents, among others, are that regency / city governments are expected to pay attention to making regional policies referring to national and provincial activities related to traditional medicine, including the existence of a budget for the implementation of traditional health service activities, the obligation of registered traditional healers, as well as forming a Team of Guidance, Supervisors, Empirical Traditional Healthcare Service Management. (*)
Author: Icha Nur Imami Puspita
Editor: Feri Fenoria Rifa’i
