FK-KMK UGM. Students of the Implementation Research program at the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing UGM participated in the 8th Asia Pacific Conference on Public Health, held from July 9-11, 2024, in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, under the theme “Revitalising Public Health for a Resilient Future.”
Twelve students from the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing UGM attended the conference as delegates, poster presenters, and oral presenters. Four students participated as oral presenters.
The four students were Chua Pei Wei, who presented “Implementation Strategy and Outcomes of Covid-19 Vaccination Programs: A Scoping Review Using RE-AIM Implementation Research Framework”; Kenneth Costilas, who presented “Exploring Factors Affecting Coverage of Mass Drug Administration Against Schistosomiasis Post COVID-19 in the Municipality of Talibon, Bohol: A Mixed Method Study.”
Htet Htet Aung presented his research titled “Implementation Fidelity of Tuberculosis Preventive Treatment Among Household Contacts (Under Five Children) in Hlaing Thar Yar Township, Yangon Region, Myanmar: An Implementation Research,” and Tahmina Akter presented “Assessing Implementation Fidelity of Provider-Initiated HIV Testing and Counseling Among TB Patients in Sylhet Sadar, Sylhet, Bangladesh: An Implementation Research”.
In addition to the oral presentations, five students from FK-KMK UGM also presented posters at the conference. These students were Clarissa Augustania, Listi Sukmawati, Aulia Shafira, Akash Kumar, and Shreya Khanal. The participation of FK-KMK UGM students in this conference aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 4: Quality Education.
According to Prof. Dr. E. Elsa Herdiana Murhandarwati, M.Kes., Ph.D., as the management representative of Implementation Research at FK-KMK UGM, the goal of involving students in the conference is to provide them with updated knowledge about public health systems at the regional level, especially in ASEAN.
“We ask the students to present their thesis results, especially those related to Implementation Research. UGM is one of the institutions that have the opportunity to conduct a Master’s program in Implementation Research globally. Additionally, this activity gives students the experience of presenting at an international event,” explained Prof. Elsa.
The 8th Asia Pacific Conference on Public Health, organized by the College of Public Health Medicine, Academy of Medicine Malaysia, is a biennial event aimed at giving students a deeper understanding of public health issues and the implementation of designed programs. Therefore, the conference’s objectives align with SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being.
Furthermore, the participation of FK-KMK UGM students in the 8th Asia Pacific Conference on Public Health by presenting their thesis research holds potential for collaboration with regional ASEAN partners. This aligns with SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Besides students, alumni of the Implementation Research program are also involved in the conference.