Summit Institute of Development (SID) Contribution to the Prevention of the COVID-19 Outbreak
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Entering its peak stage in June 2020, the COVID-19 Task Force announced that there was a 993 positive case increase in one day, with a total of 30,514 confirmed cases as of June 6, 2020. Ever since the outbreak happened, all sectors, both government and private institutions, have been trying to prevent more widespread transmission to occur. One of those institutions is the Summit Institute of Development (SID). SID is a Non-Government Organization (NGO) in the health sector that focuses on maternal and child health. SID programs aim to reduce maternal and child mortality rates that are still high, especially in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) and several regions in Indonesia. Besides that, SID also utilizes the technology to support the success of the programs. One of the examples is the THRIVE program which uses the OpenSRP platform, call, and SMS reminder to continuously monitor and educate pregnant women through smartphones. During the COVID-19 outbreak in Indonesia, knowledge and educational material about COVID-19 was included in the program to prevent transmission to pregnant women, postpartum mothers, and children, and help them to maintain health despite the outbreak.
Patient call activities were conducted to inquire about information regarding the health services provided for pregnant women, postpartum mothers, and children, especially during the COVID-19 outbreak, as well as educating women on COVID-19. Several questions which were asked in this activity, such as whether mothers received healthcare services during pregnancy, healthcare that has not been obtained by the mothers, house visit service by healthcare, concerning health conditions, birth plans, confirmation whether patients receive SMS care related to OpenSRP, knowledge about how to prevent COVID-19 transmission, and social media ownership. The call activities are conducted to women who check themselves at midwives who are doing a collaboration with SID through OpenSRP, under the patient’s consent. Then the SID team will request for the patient’s data every week and do follow up with call patient activity.
The SMS reminder is a delivery of information and education around pregnancy that is tailored to the gestational age of the clients. During the outbreak, information regarding COVID-19 and its prevention became an important topic, especially for pregnant women. SMS reminders are done every weekday which is divided into two parts. On Monday and Thursday, the messages contain educational information for pregnant women like antenatal care, while on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday the messages contain education about COVID-19 and how to prevent it. Few examples of the message that was sent are the definition and origins of COVID-19, symptoms of COVID-19, preventive action to avoid COVID-19, traveling guidance during the outbreak, management mental health to avoid panic and anxiety, how to practice clean and healthy life behavior, and suggestions to contact health care provider for Information, Education and Communication (IEC) services and counseling related to COVID-19 regarding the reproductive health and family planning or ‘Keluarga Berencana’ (KB) programs.
SID seeks to provide the best service for patients during pregnancy and after childbirth, especially during the COVID-19 outbreak which makes pregnant women more vulnerable to acquire the Coronavirus Disease 2019.
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Writer: Ardina Ulya
Editor: Iqmi Qaisah, Iffa Permatasari, Irza Husmelinda
Translator: Irza Husmelinda
Contributor: Fitri Widowati, Tony Christian
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Source: SID Science and Coaching Team
Guide to Eid al-Fitr during the COVID-19 Outbreak
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After fasting during the entire month of Ramadan, Muslims around the world celebrate the special day called Eid al-Fitr, known as “Lebaran” in Indonesia. Unlike the celebrations held in previous years, this year’s Eid must be celebrated carefully. If we do not follow the policies that have been announced, both from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) or the local government, it has the potential of a massive increase of COVID-19 cases. This happens because Eid al-Fitr is a day where people usually gather with family, relatives, neighbors, and surrounding communities, greets each other, and interacts with one another. For the matter, let’s follow the guidelines of MUI Fatwa No. 28 of 2020 and the Official Letter of the Minister of Religious Affairs No.6 of 2020 in celebrating Eid.
- Eid prayer can be held in a congregation in a field, mosque for Muslims who are in a controlled area or COVID-19-free area.
- Eid al-Fitr prayers may be held at home either in the congregation with family or alone (munfarid or solitary), especially for Muslims in the COVID-19 red zone
- Eid al-Fitr Khutbah is Sunnah, if there is no one who can deliver Khutbah at home, then Eid prayer can be done without a Khutbah.
- Every Muslim is urged to bring the night of Eid al-Fitr with takbeer, dhikr tahlil, and keep praising to Allah. However, with the pandemic conditions COVID-19, takbeer can be carried out at home both solitary and with family (not recommended to do takbeer march)
- Carrying out the Eid al-Fitr practices which include bathing, cutting nails, wearing the best clothes and fragrances, eating before prayer and doing takbeer until nearing Eid prayer while still paying attention to preventative measures of COVID-19.
- Minimize physical contact to collect zakat al-Fitr and/or zakat al-Mal by not opening outlets in the crowds, and replace by pick-up service and banking service transfers.
- “Silaturrahim” or Halal Bihalal can be done through social media or video/conference calls.
Hopefully we can implement the guidance that has been given by the MUI and the Ministry of Religious Affairs in carrying out Eid al-Fitr. More guidance on the implementation of Eid al-Fitr prayers at home for Muslims can be seen here: https://covid19.go.id/p/protokol/infografi-fatwa-mui-no-28-tahun-2020).
Summit Institute of Development wishes you a Happy Eid Al-Fitr 1441 H, Taqobbalallahu Minna Wa Minkum, Taqobbal Ya Karim. May our fasting be accepted by Allah SWT.
Writer : Ardina Ulya
Editor : IffaPermatasari
Translator : Mazidatun Maftukhah
Let’s be Aware of Hypertension During Pregnancy
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Pregnancy is a vulnerable condition for the mother and baby. This condition is caused by a long process from fertilization to the formation of cells that would become new humans approximately for nine months. There will be many changes in the mother’s body condition at that time thus maintaining health is important. If it is not well-maintained, it can lead to health problems during pregnancy, such as hypertension.
Hypertension is a condition in which a person’s blood pressure is above the normal limit with this condition: diastolic pressure reaches ≥140 mmHg and systolic reaches ≥90 mmHg. Hypertension can occur before, during, and after pregnancy. If a woman has hypertension before becoming pregnant, she needs to communicate the situation with health care providers before planning a pregnancy so that the treatment doesn’t harm the fetus and to get the information to maintain weight by eating nutritious food and physical activity that needs to be done. Whereas if a newly pregnant woman suffers from hypertension during pregnancy, she should see a health worker and get appropriate care in accordance with routine pregnancy checks until the time of giving birth. Pregnant women who have hypertension must be more careful because there is a chance of having a stroke and other health problems after giving birth.
Hypertension that occurs 20 weeks before pregnancy is called chronic hypertension. Women with chronic hypertension are more likely to have pre-eclampsia in the second or third trimester of pregnancy. For those who experience high blood pressure during pregnancy, it can be said as to have gestational hypertension, usually occurs at the age of 20 weeks of pregnancy until the time of giving birth. This is similar to a pre-eclampsia disorder where the blood pressure of a normal suddenly becomes high during pregnancy, as well as the presence of protein levels in urine and other health problems after 20 weeks of pregnancy. In rare cases, the state of pre-eclampsia can occur after giving birth, this is known as postpartum pre-eclampsia.
Health problems mentioned above can cause complications to the mother and baby such as stroke, and induction at the time of giving birth and the detachment of the placenta from the uterine wall. Baby can also be born prematurely due to lack of oxygen and adequate nutrition, this is caused by high blood pressure experienced by the mother. Therefore it is crucial to monitor health during pregnancy.
Summit Institute of Development (SID) helps health workers, especially midwives, to monitor the health of pregnant women using a digital platform called OpenSRP. This application can record the health history of the mother during pregnancy, as well as reminders of pregnancy visits so that their condition can be monitored properly. By using this technology, health problems that can lead to complications and even lead to death can be prevented effectively. Hopefully, with this OpenSRP application, SID can help the Indonesian government to monitor the health of pregnant women and significantly reduce morbidity and mortality rates of mothers and children.
Writer : Ardina Ulya
Editor : IffaPermatasari
Translator : Mazidatun Maftukhah
International Nurse Day 2020
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The International Nurses Council (ICN), a federation of more than 130 nation nurse associations representing millions of nurses around the world, commemorates International Nurse Day every May 12. This date coincides with the birth of the “Pioneer of Modern Nursing”, Florence Nightingale on May 12, 1820.
Florence Nightingale was an important person who gave a huge transformation to the world of nursing. Back in the 18th century, the world of nursing was disreputable because hospitals were dirty places and female nurses worked like “slaves” that were treated arbitrarily especially by men. Therefore, Nightingale changed the image of the nursing world by reviving the concepts of hospital hygiene and nurses’ tips. In addition, she also built a nursing school and wrote a book “Notes on Nursing” which became a curriculum reference in her nursing school and is used in nursing education until nowadays.
ICN carries the theme “Nurses: A Voice to Lead – Nursing the World to Health” on International Nurse Day 2020. This theme is carried out in appreciation of nurses’ struggles and hard work in order to provide good health services. This year is a special year because the World Health Organization (WHO) designed 2020 as “The Year of Nurse and Midwife” and commemorated the 200th anniversary of Nightingale’s birth. ICN plans to coordinate a series of events throughout the year to celebrate this momentum. In addition to the commemoration event, one of the major events is the WHO publication on the “State of the World’s Nursing Report” which contains a detailed description of nursing staff and campaigning for the “Nightingale Challenge” to produce new leaders in the world of nursing.
In a report published by WHO, it highlighted that there is important progress that has to be carried out by the government and policyholders in each country to:
- Invest a massive acceleration in nursing education, such as the faculty of nursing, infrastructure, and the number of students. It aims to meet global and domestic needs, and respond to the challenges of advanced technology in health and social care.
- Create at least 6 million jobs for nurses by 2030, especially for poor and developing countries to fulfill the need for the shortage of projects and the unequal distribution of nurses.
- Strengthen nurse leadership, both current and future nurses to ensure that nurses have important roles in health policy formulation and policy decisions, as well as contribute to the effectiveness of the social and health care system.
Happy International Nursing Day 2020! Let’s deliver high-quality Future Nightingale!
Writer: Ardina Ulya
Editor: Iqmi Qaisah
Translator: Mazidatun Maftukhah
World Immunization Week 2020
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World Immunization Week is a week that aims to promote the use of vaccines to protect people from all diseases. This celebration is held every last week in April, from April 24-30. The theme of the World Immunization Week in 2020 is “#VaccinesWork for All” with the meaning that the function of vaccines is to prevent all kinds of diseases.
The main objective of the World Immunization Week commemoration campaign is to expand community involvement in vaccine usage and promote the importance of vaccines to improve health and well-being for all citizens of the world. In addition, this year is an appreciation for nurses and midwives around the world because they have played an important role in campaigning for immunization at the front line for parents and new parents.
In 2018, it was estimated that 116 million children were vaccinated to protect themselves from infectious diseases that can cause illness and death. Although the number of vaccine users has increased, there are still many children in other vulnerable groups who have not received the vaccine. Such as children in a poor family and children who grow up with family in a conflict country. Therefore, countries are obliged to ensure that every child gets the vaccine and acquire the benefits.
Important Facts About Vaccines
- The vaccine protects our body from deadly diseases. Vaccines work with the body’s natural defenses to prevent us from getting sick. This is a safe and smart choice to protect our body from disease.
- Vaccines can help minimize the spreads of disease. However, not everybody can use vaccines, such as babies who are too early to get vaccines, or elderly who have a vulnerable condition. When our bodies can fight diseases due to vaccines, this can prevent us from getting sick and transmitting them to more vulnerable people.
- Vaccine composition is safe and effective. The vaccine that is injected into our body is a natural ingredient that can be found in the body, the environment, and the food we eat.
- Vaccines are preventive actions. Don’t wait until the outbreak hits, because we don’t necessarily have enough time to get all kinds of vaccines for disease prevention. In addition, the effects of the vaccine would have not been felt if only done when the disease had invaded our bodies.
Let’s support World Immunization Week by keep sharing the information about the vaccine’s benefits to everyone so that it can protect us from various diseases.
Writer : Ardina Ulya
Editor : Iffa Permatasari, Irza Husmelinda, Iqmi Qaisah Ali, Mazidatun Maftukhah
Translator : Mazidatun Maftukhah
SID Joint Webinar – Improving Prenatal Nutrition: Making the Case for Multiple Micronutrient Supplements
Leave a CommentOn April 28, 2020, Summit Institute of Development (SID) became a panelist for a digital event as part of our Improving Nutrition focus area hosted by Devex and DSM. The event’s aim was to highlight the importance of multiple micronutrient supplements (MMS) as a driver to improve maternal nutrition and share insights on existing and future interventions to ensure that all women have access to MMS during pregnancy and understand their benefits.
Inraini Syah representing SID as panelist shared a country perspective on MMS implementation that is community-driven and applied locally. SID conducted the first large scale MMS trial in pregnant women enrolling and following-up over 30,000 pregnant women in Indonesia, a large scale cluster-randomized double-blind trial known as the Supplementation with Multiple Micronutrients Intervention Trial (SUMMIT). The result of this study showed an 18% reduction in infant death, a 30% reduction in post-neonatal mortality, a 38% reduction in infant death among anemic women, and a 25% reduction in infant death among undernourished women with the use of MMS. This number was achievable with the context of high participation rates and compliance. During the study, it recorded compliance of 85%.
SID also shared the Indonesian maternal iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation program for pregnant women that has been a national program since 1970. However, based on Indonesia Basic Health Research in 2018, national IFA compliance is still only 38%. Many factors contribute to this low compliance, including from the perspective of the mothers themselves, health workers and the health system, and project planning and implementation. This means that it is important to consider the encouragement of pregnant women to take MMS and improve the health worker’s quality through training, certification, coaching, and providing incentives.
During this COVID-19 pandemic, the main challenges to the program implementation include physical distancing rule between pregnant women and health workers, less access to antenatal care, and the economic breakdown. But SID together with other stakeholders will keep working to provide the best care to mothers amid the pandemic, such as providing service and supplements.
As the closing, SID encouraged to keep working together to close the gaps on maternal nutrition by providing a solution such as MMS, with a comprehensive approach to save the mothers and children and keep thriving, winning the fight with COVID-19.
Watch the webinar here: https://pages.devex.com/improving-prenatal-nutrition.html#NULL