Students from the Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FKG UGM) Class of 2022 held a pre-event Community Service Program focused on assessing health cadres as part of efforts to reduce stunting in Windusari District, Magelang Regency, on Friday (24 January). The event took place at the Windusari District Hall and involved health cadres from Windusari, Candisari, and Genito villages, as well as teachers from SD Negeri 2 Windusari.
The event was officially opened by the Head of Windusari District, Edi Purnomo, who appreciated the initiative of FKG UGM students in supporting public health. Remarks were also delivered by Dr. drg. Friska Ani Rahman, a faculty representative from FKG UGM, who emphasized the important role of health cadres in spreading health education. The event began with the handover of hygiene supplies to the district office and SD Negeri 2 Windusari as support for environmental cleanliness.
The program continued with presentations by the cadres followed by a post-test as part of the assessment process. The evaluation was conducted by FKG UGM lecturers Dr. drg. Friska Ani Rahman, MDSc, drg. I Putu Arya Ramadhan, and drg. Nova Noerdiany Lestari.
This assessment aimed to measure the cadres’ understanding of health topics, especially regarding stunting prevention and oral health. Cadre representatives who successfully completed the assessment will serve as education agents in the main Community Service activities scheduled for 31 January to 1 February 2025. At the end of the assessment, certificates were awarded to the health cadres as recognition of their participation and dedication to the program. This acknowledgment is important to motivate the cadres to continue promoting health education and practices within their communities.
In addition to the assessment, the event was enlivened by a beauty class demonstration sponsored by Wardah, attended by cadre mothers and members of the Family Welfare Movement (PKK). This activity provided participants with opportunities for self-care training while maintaining attention to health aspects. The event concluded with a Srawung Desa—a social gathering session between students and Windusari District officials to strengthen community ties. Concurrently, the clinical team conducted door-to-door dental and oral health education for pregnant women and parents of toddlers and infants.
This Community Service Program aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2: Zero Hunger through nutrition education for toddlers and pregnant women, SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being by raising awareness of oral health and stunting prevention, and SDG 4: Quality Education through training cadres to pass on knowledge to the wider community.
Through this cadre assessment, it is hoped that health cadres will become the frontliners in disseminating health information in Windusari, thus helping to reduce stunting rates and improve the overall health quality of the community.
Contributor: Absarina Jaseptiani | Author: Shinta
Photo: Doc. of PMA 2022
