South Buton, August 24, 2026 – Gaya Baru Village, Lapandewa Subdistrict, and Gerak Makmur Village, Sampolawa Subdistrict, are villages located in South Buton, Southeast Sulawesi. Both villages are situated in a coastal area with diverse and abundant marine resources. Not only that, but both villages are also home to friendly communities with a strong spirit of cooperation. However, access to information and health services remains a major challenge faced by the local community. This is particularly true for Gaya Baru Village, which lacks health facilities within the village, resulting in very limited access to medical examinations and treatment for residents. Therefore, Tasa Faras Raihanah from the Faculty of Pharmacy, together with the medical cluster team of the UGM Cahea Busel 2026 Student Community Service Program (KKN-PPM), is implementing a program aimed at supporting improvements in public health.
One of the flagship programs of the UGM Cahea Busel 2026 KKN-PPM team is the Blue Coast Eco Festival: Coastal Charm Toward Sail to Indonesia 2026, held on August 1–2, 2026, at Waburi Park in Gaya Baru Village. The festival includes a series of activities, one of which is free health screenings for the community. Through a collaboration with Siloam Hospital Baubau and the Health Department, festival attendees had the opportunity to receive quality healthcare services, including blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and uric acid screenings. In addition, those who completed the screenings received explanations of their results as part of efforts to help them maintain their health, including education on medication use, dental care, and nutritional counseling.
The high level of enthusiasm among the community, particularly among adults and the elderly, demonstrates residents’ interest in understanding their health status and underscores the need for more equitable and accessible healthcare services. Through this initiative, it is hoped that awareness and concern for health among the residents of Gaya Baru Village and Gerak Makmur Village will continue to grow, thereby encouraging them to adopt healthier lifestyles.
Thus, this small step can mark the beginning of a healthier coastal community in South Buton and support well-being for all. This aligns with the third Sustainable Development Goal (SDG), namely Good Health and Well-being. In addition, SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) is being addressed by helping to expand access to health services for communities in areas that still face limited health facilities, and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) through collaboration between the UGM Cahea Busel 2026 KKN-PPM team, Siloam Hospital Baubau, and the Health Department to provide healthcare services that are more accessible to the community.
Writer: Tasa Faras Raihanah | Editor: Fathul | Photo: Tasa Faras Raihanah
