Sophi Damayanti
The circulation of traditional medicines and illegal food ingredients, both fake products and those without registration from the Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM), can endanger the public. Education by training cadres as pharmacist partners aims to provide an understanding of aspects of the benefits, safety and quality of traditional medicines and food ingredients that will be chosen and used by the community.
Based on the 2022 Annual Report of the Center for Food and Drug Monitoring (BBPOM) in Jayapura, testing of food products has been carried out and it was still found that 15.17% of products did not meet the requirements (TMS). Apart from products, the findings also show that 29 household food industries do not meet the provisions (TMK) on Good Processed Food Production Methods – Home Industry (CPPOB-IRT). The use of traditional medicines and food ingredients that occurs in Jayapura, Papua requires follow-up action to improve the quality of use so that it can support the achievement of public health. Therefore, community service with the aim of increasing knowledge of traditional medicine and food ingredients through a health cadre approach has been implemented.
Continuing the consistent success of the health cadre training program since 2018, the target of the activity is to obtain the level of knowledge of the Jayapura community, which comes from underdeveloped and developing villages, including Tobati, Kampung, Mosso, Sentani, Yoka and surrounding areas regarding traditional medicine and food ingredients, community Jayapura has an adequate understanding of the safety of traditional medicines and food ingredients through education provided to health cadres, the role of pharmacists in the community directly in forming health cadres and collaboration between the Bandung Institute of Technology and local universities, namely the University Cendrawasih can be well established and beneficial and improve the academic atmosphere through guest lectures by lecturers from the ITB School of Pharmacy to students. Three activities have resulted from this activity, namely distributing questionnaires, guest lectures, and cadre training. There are 4 publications in the media and 2 at international seminars.
1. Obtain the level of knowledge of the Jayapura community regarding traditional medicine and food ingredients
Questionnaire Activities 1. Gain the level of public knowledge regarding traditional medicine and safe food 2. Dissemination of data processing results in international seminars 3. Students gain experience attending international seminars Educational activities for cadres provide the following benefits: 1. Cadres know food additives, types, and limitations on their use 2. Cadres know about natural medicines, including being wise in using them 3. Cadres have the knowledge capital to educate the community, especially regarding food safety and traditional medicine Guest lecture activities provide benefits: 1. Opening the knowledge and insight of Cendrawasih University pharmacy students in maximizing the potential of students' roles in the Tri Dharma 2. Opening the horizons of Cendrawasih University pharmacy students to undertake further studies, scholarship opportunities, and collaboration with other universities both at home and abroad