Group Photo Session
Banda Aceh (11 June 2024) – Tsunami and Disaster Mitigation Research Center (TDMRC) held the 31st Seminar Series, a series of activities of utmost importance, commemorating the 20th anniversary of the tsunami in Aceh with the theme “Health Crisis Management After 20 Years Aceh Tsunami.” This seminar is also a series of activities at the 63rd Universitas Syiah Kuala (USK) MILAD, which also presents several health experts as resource persons and Rizanna Rosemary, PhD as moderator.
Prof. Syamsidik
In his remarks as director of TDMRC, Prof. Syamsidik opened the second seminar in a series commemorating the 20th anniversary of the 2004 tsunami in Banda Aceh. The tsunami, a devastating event that caused the deaths of approximately 230,000 people and significant economic losses, tested the resilience of the people of Aceh. Despite the difficult times, they stood strong, rebuilding their lives and communities. This seminar, with its theme of preparedness in facing a health crisis, is particularly relevant in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has necessitated the limitation of face-to-face meetings. By inviting speakers from various universities and the Indonesian Ministry of Health, we aim to learn from their lessons and experiences. Prof. Syamsidik emphasized the importance of multidisciplinary cooperation in overcoming and preventing the spread of disease in the future. He thanked all those who had participated and contributed to this seminar and expressed anticipation for the next seminar series which will discuss different topics.
In his speech as the Chair of the LPPM USK, Prof. Mudatsir underscored the importance of disaster risk management and health crisis preparedness, particularly in light of the experience 20 years ago with the tsunami, which had a profound impact on the lives of the people of Aceh. He pointed out that events like the COVID-19 pandemic have heightened the need to increase vigilance and cross-sector coordination in handling health crises. Prof. Mudatsir commended the initiative of the TDMRC USK, which had spearheaded this seminar, and expressed his hope that the ongoing seminar would continue to make a significant contribution to enhancing disaster preparedness and management. He also acknowledged the pivotal role of the audience, as professionals and academics, in this process, and their contributions are highly esteemed.
In the presentation by Abram L. Wagner, PhD, the first speaker at the seminar, he focused on the importance of vaccines in dealing with public health during emergencies. Wagner outlined the history of vaccination and how innovation in this area has developed, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. He also explained Michigan’s syndromic surveillance system, which allows early detection of disease outbreaks. Highlighting the importance of effective monitoring and coordination between various health systems, Wagner emphasized the need for better preparedness in dealing with future health crises.
Abram L. Wagner and dr. Widiana Presentation
Dr. Widiana K. Agustin as the second speaker emphasized the importance of strengthening the health crisis management system in Indonesia, based on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. In the seminar, she proposed increasing coordination and collaboration through the health cluster system for a more effective response. Dr. Widiana also suggested transforming the health system by involving various elements of society, as well as preparing infrastructure and protocols to increase preparedness and resilience in facing future health crises. She underlined the crucial role of the audience, as health professionals and academics, in this process, and their work is instrumental in ensuring the health and safety of the community.
dr. Ichsan
In a presentation by dr. Ichsan, as a third speaker, discussed the role of religious leaders in increasing vaccination acceptance in Banda Aceh and Aceh Besar, Indonesia. This project addresses challenges such as ignorance, concerns about side effects, and religious reasons regarding the halalness of vaccines that influence vaccination rates. This initiative involves collaboration between religious leaders, medical professionals, and government officials to increase awareness and knowledge of immunization through religious conferences and “Vaccine-in-a-van” interventions that provide vaccination services directly to communities. Preliminary results show that this activity is important for increasing vaccination coverage and overcoming vaccination hesitancy in the community.
Cicely Nurse
In her presentation, Cicely Nurse, the fourth speaker, discussed the importance of health system resilience in facing climate change, especially in Banda Aceh, Indonesia. The study aims to explore local communities’ experiences of accessing health services during climate events and utilize these findings to develop a climate services dashboard that supports climatically equitable decisions in primary healthcare settings. Through a qualitative approach and semi-structured interviews, Cicely highlights how community experiences and perceptions demonstrate the elements of a resilient health system and the challenges and enabling factors in building resilience. His presentation underscored the importance of community empowerment in increasing the efficacy and sustainability of responses to climate change in health systems.
