Caring for a family member living with a chronic or palliative condition often places a significant emotional, physical, and social burden on families. Beyond understanding medical conditions, families are expected to provide continuous emotional support while ensuring that patients can continue to live meaningful daily lives. Unfortunately, limited access to information and practical skills often leaves families feeling unprepared and overwhelmed. This reality highlights the importance of educational and empowerment initiatives that enable families to become confident and capable primary caregivers.

In response to this need, the Master’s Program in Bioethics, Graduate School of Universitas Gadjah Mada, in collaboration with the Center for Bioethics and Medical Humanities (CBMH) as part of the UNESCO Chair on Bioethics, organized a community engagement program entitled “SIAP PEDULI (Family Readiness Socialization for Chronic and Palliative Care)”. The activity was conducted on 25–26 August 2025 at RW 10 Community Hall, Bangunrejo, Kricak Village, Yogyakarta, and was attended by 50 participants, consisting of community health cadres and family representatives caring for palliative patients.

The SIAP PEDULI program focused on providing practical and applicable knowledge that families and community members can directly implement in daily care. Key sessions included Education on the Role and Benefits of Indonesia’s National Health Insurance (BPJS Kesehatan) in Palliative Care, delivered by dr. Sumono Nurbadi Putranto; Hands-on Practice Using the PEKA Palliative Care Handbook, facilitated by Dr. Dra. Retna Siwi Padmawati, M.A.; and Activity and Mobilization Care Practice, guided by drg. Agnes Bhakti Pratiwi, M.P.H., Ph.D. together with Ardhini N., M.K.M. These sessions were designed to enhance families’ confidence in managing both the administrative and practical aspects of patient care.

Through SIAP PEDULI, families are expected to gain not only a better understanding of medical and healthcare system navigation, but also practical caregiving skills that support patients’ daily needs. The program also emphasized the importance of collaboration between families, community cadres, and healthcare professionals in delivering inclusive, continuous, and compassionate care for patients with chronic and life-limiting conditions.

This initiative aligns with the commitment of UGM and the UNESCO Chair on Bioethics to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) through strengthened family-based care capacity, and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) by fostering synergy between academia, healthcare providers, and local communities. Through this collaborative approach, SIAP PEDULI serves not only as an educational program but also as a social movement contributing to improved quality of life for chronic and palliative patients within the community.

Editor : Rafi

The Center for Bioethics and Medical Humanities (CBMH), Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing, Universitas Gadjah Mada, in its role as part of the UNESCO Chair on Bioethics, successfully conducted a Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) Training as part of its community engagement program at the Gading Village Hall, Playen Subdistrict, Gunungkidul Regency, on Wednesday, 13 August 2025.

The program was led by Dr. Dra. Retna Siwi Padmawati, M.A., and directly monitored by Ema Madyaningrum, S.Kep., Ns., M.Kes., Ph.D., with full support from the YAKKUM Rehabilitation Center, Playen I Primary Health Center, Playen II Primary Health Center, and the Gunungkidul District Health Office. This initiative reflects the UNESCO Chair’s commitment to promoting human dignity, inclusion, and ethical responsibility in community-based health services.

The training engaged community health cadres from Gading Village and Plembutan Village as its primary participants. The sessions addressed key topics, including an overview of various types of disabilities, assertive and inclusive communication for persons with disabilities (PEKA Disability), self-care support for persons with disabilities, and emergency response management in disability contexts. All training materials were designed to equip cadres with both conceptual understanding and practical skills grounded in bioethical principles of respect, justice, and non-discrimination.

Participants were also provided with the PEKA Disability Handbook, developed as a practical tool for health monitoring and assertive communication with persons with disabilities. This resource supports the UNESCO Chair on Bioethics’ mission to strengthen ethical literacy and empower communities to deliver equitable and humane health services.

The initiative was motivated by the high prevalence of psychosocial disabilities in the Gunungkidul region, which calls for a comprehensive and sustainable response. Limited access to facilities and insufficient community awareness often lead to social isolation and heightened safety risks for persons with disabilities. Through this training, village health cadres are expected to become agents of ethical change, fostering inclusion, reducing stigma, and ensuring that care is delivered with respect for human rights.

The program will culminate in Free Health Screening Services for Persons with Disabilities and the Declaration of Disability-Inclusive Villages in Gading Village and Plembutan Village. This declaration symbolizes a collective commitment among village governments, health cadres, and community members to create inclusive environments and uphold equal rights for persons with disabilities, in line with the values promoted by the UNESCO Chair on Bioethics.

This community-based rehabilitation initiative contributes directly to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). Beyond its immediate impact, the program is expected to serve as a replicable model of ethically grounded village empowerment, supporting inclusive and sustainable community development across Indonesia.

Editor : Rafi

Yogyakarta, 22 November 2024 — The Center for Bioethics and Medical Humanities (CBMH), Universitas Gadjah Mada, successfully organized the Healthy Living Declaration at Segoro Amarto Field, RW 13, Kricak Subdistrict, Yogyakarta. This event marked the culmination of a series of community engagement activities that have been conducted since the previous year, aimed at strengthening health literacy and enhancing community assertiveness in accessing health services.

This community service program contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), while also supporting SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by fostering a healthier and more resilient urban community.

The event began with a morning exercise session attended enthusiastically by dozens of local residents, followed by a communal breakfast and the distribution of door prizes in the form of plants, symbolizing a commitment to sustainable and healthy living. The activity was attended by key local stakeholders, including the Head of Tegalrejo Subdistrict Administration (Mantri Pamong Praja), the Chief of Tegalrejo Police Sector, the Commander of Tegalrejo Military District (Danramil), representatives from Tegalrejo Community Health Center (Puskesmas), officials from Kricak Subdistrict, and other members of the Forkopimtren Tegalrejo. Overall, the stakeholders expressed strong support for advancing healthy living initiatives within the Kricak community.

“We are very pleased with this initiative, because a healthy community is the foundation of societal progress,” stated the Head of Tegalrejo Subdistrict Administration.

Dr. Dra. Retna Siwi Padmawati, MA, Director of the Center for Bioethics and Medical Humanities, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing UGM, and Principal Investigator of the community service program, emphasized that the event was not merely ceremonial but represented a concrete step toward cultivating a sustainable culture of healthy living.

“We hope this declaration serves as the beginning of a continuous movement that inspires residents to consistently maintain their health and collective well-being,” she remarked.

The initiative received full support from the residents of Kricak Subdistrict as well as local stakeholders of Forkopimtren Tegalrejo, all of whom expressed a shared commitment to integrating healthy lifestyle practices into everyday life. The event concluded with a joint signing of the Healthy Living Declaration, led by the Head of Tegalrejo Subdistrict Administration, the Chief of the Tegalrejo Police Sector, the Commander of Danramil Tegalrejo, representatives of Tegalrejo Community Health Center, and the Head of Kricak Subdistrict.

This collaborative commitment is expected to serve as a catalyst for sustained progress through improved health literacy and community assertiveness in utilizing health services. The cross-sector collaboration demonstrated in this initiative also reinforces SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), highlighting the importance of collective action in achieving sustainable health and development outcomes.

Editor : Rafi