UNAIR NEWS – More than 330 health workers consisting of midwives, doctors, nurses, health promoters, and academics attended the Integrated Management of Young Infants (MTBM) and Integrated Management of Sick Toddlers (MTBS) on October 30, 2021, which Geliat Airlangga with UNICEF Indonesia initiated. The activity, held through the Zoom Meeting, targeted three regions, Jember, Bojonegoro, and Surabaya.
In her speech, Dr. Nyoman Anita Damayanti, drg., MS as the Geliat Airlangga Program Focal Point, said the training aimed to increase the capacity of health workers, mainly in handling infants and toddlers to stay healthy.
“There are some new things. However, the point is to protect our children and grandchildren from things that should not have happened,” said the lecturer at the Faculty of Public Health (FKM) Universitas Airlangga.
The MTBS and MTBM activities have been carried out by the Puskesmas and the Health Office in East Java. However, its implementation is often neglected due to various factors. One of them is due to the lack of health workers who have received training.
In his speech, the East Java Provincial Health Office representative, Waritsah emphasized that MTBM and MTBS training should be strengthened again. Moreover, during the Covid-19 pandemic, implementation in the field experienced some obstacles.
According to Waritsah, a special strategy is needed, so that service quality does not decline during the pandemic. “I hope, from this webinar later, colleagues at the puskesmas can carry out MTBM activities according to standards. For example, postpartum visits should be done according to the guidelines. The quantity of service is appropriate, but the quality still needs to be improved,” he said.
The training event was also attended by the cadres of the First 1,000 Days of Life (HPK) for two days. On the first day, the East Java Provincial Health Office representatives presented material on the MTBS Implementation Policy. Then continued with the material on the Basic Concepts of MTBS by Dr. Ahmad Shohib., M.M. from the Pasuruan Health Service.
The second day continued with a presentation from Ratih Kristiana Wijaya, S.ST from the District Health Office. Nganjuk as MTBS Facilitator. The material presented is about the management of MTBS in young infants less than two months old.
As Head of Geliat Airlangga, Nyoman said she was very grateful for the commitment of the participants to attend the webinar, especially efforts to reduce maternal and infant mortality.
“I am very grateful to all parties who are always committed to taking care of our children. Hopefully, we will be given health to take care of pregnant women and children,” Nyoman hoped. (*)
Author: Erika Eight Novanty
Editor : Khefti Al Mawalia
