UNAIR NEWS – Knowledge of the general public about medication is critical to be improved if we consider the cases of errors in medication due to their lack of knowledge about the safety of treatment. In this regard, the Patient Safety Research Center held a webinar for the general public, “Medication Safety for the General Public.” The event took place online via Zoom Meeting on Saturday, September 11, 2021.
“The purpose of today’s event is to improve the general public’s understanding of medication safety. This webinar is a series of community service activities carried out by the Patient Safety Research Center of Banyuwangi Regency,” explained Inge Dhamanti, S.KM., M.Kes., M.PH., Ph.D., in her speech as event’s head of executive.
In addition to the webinar event, continued the lecturer of the Faculty of Public Health (FKM), Universitas Airlangga, the team has also been providing a mentoring program with the Sobo Community Healthcare Center (Puskesmas) to improve medication safety. In this mentoring event, guidance was provided on communicating to patients, their families, and even patient companions about ways to prevent medication-related incidents or errors. In this case, patients and families have a vital role in preventing incidents from occurring during medication.
“We have a healthcare system such as hospitals and pharmacies with competent human resources in providing information about the medication safety. In this case, the role of public health workers is also important to help provide education to the public regarding appropriate information,” said Dr. Santi Martini, dr., M.Kes. in her speech as the Dean of the Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Airlangga.
Moderated by Diansanto Prayoga, S.KM., M.Kes., the event brought four topics. They were ways to increase awareness related to medication safety, increase public understanding regarding the role of the medication process, help solve problems in the field related to medication errors and improve the quality of medication safety.
The materials were presented by Inge Dhamanti, S.KM., M.Kes., M.PH., Ph.D. (Head of the Patient Safety Research Center), Apt., Elida Zairina, M.PH., Ph.D. (Faculty of Pharmacy lecturer, Universitas Airlangga), Apt. Ari Kurnianingsih, S.Si., M.Farm.Klin. (Head of Pharmacy at Blambangan Hospital) and Dadang Triptoko, S.Kep., M.Si. (Head of Sobo Community Healthcare Center, Banyuwangi Regency). The webinar also invited stakeholders from the public health office and health centers, cadres, sub-district heads, village heads, and other organizations in Banyuwangi Regency.
“Hopefully, this activity can be maintained, and maybe later there will be activities that produce a policy which can later be advocated to the regional government to be adopted. Therefore, what we are doing today can have an impact on society and improve the quality of human life at the local, regional, national, and even global levels. Moreover, in this era, our activities must always aim to achieve SDGs,” concluded Dr. Santi Martini, dr., M.Kes.
Author: Tyas Ratna Manggali
Editor: Nuri Hermawan (YA/AP)
