UNAIR NEWS – The Ksatria Airlangga Floating Hospital (RSTKA) has set sail for Madura Aware of Covid-19 (MARCO-19) mission. Visiting 14 islands around Madura Island, RSTKA will sail for a month from Saturday, September 4, 2021, to Monday, October 4, 2021. This activity supports the third point of SDG to achieve good health of the community.
The RSTKA team launching event took place at the Kalimas Port, Surabaya. Several important guests attended the event both offline and online through the Zoom app, such as the Chairperson of the Ksatria Medika Airlangga Foundation, Vice Dean III of the Faculty of Medicine (FK) Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR), UNAIR Rector, President Director of the Telecommunications and Information Accessibility Agency (BAKTI) of the Ministry of Communication and Informatics, the Governor of East Java, and other guests.
Dr. Christijogo Soemartono Waloejo dr., Sp.An., KAR as the Chairman of the Ksatria Medika Airlangga Foundation said there are 20 volunteers and six crew members who will carry out the MARCO-19 mission. In his remarks, he said this mission is challenging because the RSTKA team has to convince the islanders to support the government’s vaccination program.
On the same occasion, Dr. Sulistiawati, dr., M.Kes. as Vice Dean III of the Faculty of Medicine (FK) Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) said that the RSTKA team is responsible for carrying out vaccinations, providing education, and conducting research in the health sector.
According to Prof. Dr. Mohammad Nasih, SE., MT., Ak., as UNAIR Rector, the RSTKA team has to face misinformation about vaccines and Covid-19. That problem results in the behavior of people who are not willing to be vaccinated.
“All of these activities cannot be carried out without the support of the government and other parties. I advise all volunteers to maintain their health, continue to implement strict health protocols, and maintain the good name of their beloved alma mater,” said Prof. Nasih.
Dra. Hj. Khofifah Indar Parawansa, M.Si., as the Governor of East Java, who was also attending the launching event, expressed her gratitude to all the teams on duty. She also hoped that they would be able to carry out their duties well and maintain their enthusiasm.
“To the Rector and other parties, especially the RSTKA team, thank you. Strong partnerships are indeed needed to provide services, especially in the archipelago,” she explained.
Symbolically, Dra. Hj. Khofifah Indar Parawansa, M.Si., launched the ship and UNAIR Rector cut the ribbon. The entire team and invited guests took a group photo in front of the Ksatria Airlangga Floating Hospital in the closing session. (*)
Author: Dita Aulia Rahma
Editor: Khefti Al Mawalia (YA/AP)
