The catastrophic flood and tropical cyclone that hit a number of areas in East Nusa Tenggara (Nusa Tenggara Timur / NTT) Province on Sunday (4/4/2021) had moved the hearts of academic community of Master of Epidemiology Diponegoro University to raise help. The assistance began to be raised the day after the incident until Saturday morning (24/4/2021) when the assistance distribution event took place.
Funds in the form of cash that are collected to more than 7.6 million Rupiah are handed over to victims symbolically through Zoom meeting. Present to hand over the assistance is Head of Epidemiology Master Study Program, Dr. dr. Dwi Sutiningsih, M.Kes.
A flood victim in NTT, Thamrin, is invited online to receive assistance. He is also asked to share the true story of flood disaster that hit his village in Walburak Village, East Adonara District, East Flores Regency, East Nusa Tenggara. Floods and Seroja cyclone cause all the buildings in his village to disappear.
Dean of Undip Postgraduate School, Dr. R.B. Sularto, SH., M.Hum had the opportunity to attend the online event of this donation, as well as expressed his gratitude to the donors.
“And of course, as the Dean Postgraduate School, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the ladies and gentlemen who have donated some of their money to the victims in NTT. Of course, with this assistance, hopefully it can relieve our brothers and sisters who are affected,” said Dr. R.B Sularto, SH., M. Hum.
Besides inviting flood victims, this assistance event also presented Undip Epidemiologist, Dr. dr. Budi Laksono, who conveyed his field experience in handling disasters, including the NTT flash flood. He also talked about the role of epidemiologists in such catastrophic events.
“Basic medical services are the main services. But after that, other basic services are needed, such as water sanitation, housing, and other social matters. Undip Epidemiology Master students need to be equipped with this knowledge so that they understand what is happening in the field and what to think about. Maybe it can be called Disaster Epidemiology,” explained Dr. Budi Laksono via Zoom from the location of the incident in NTT.
He invites Undip Epidemiology Masters graduates to dare giving input to decision makers so that the government does not only receive input from building contractors, entrepreneurs, economists, but also from epidemiologists. Mental disaster such as empathy and fighting attitude also need to be cultivated.
Dr. dr. Budi Laksono and his team are currently (24/4/2021) in NTT to distribute assistance from IKA MEDICA UNDIP in the form of temporary shelters that can be installed in a 30 minutes, amphibious latrines, building drinking water spots for residents and setting up a hand sanitizer production station for medical personnel. (Hariyani-PR)
Translated by: Titis (Public Relations)
