Issues of Tuberculosis (TB) in Indonesia is high.  According to Public Health Office of Yogyakarta, in 2016 594 of 1,003 TB patients lived in Yogyakarta, while in 2017 430 of 665 patients stayed in Yogyakarta, especially in Kadipiro.

Responding the issues, students of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogayakarta, namely Yudhitya Fairuz Dwinta Putri, Ni’mah Wardaturrahmah, Shiffa Noor Amalya, and Khadijah Adha Kamila associated in a team of Program Kreativitas Mahasiswa – Pengabdian Masyarakat (PKM-M) assisted government to overcome the disease. A team leader Bettani Siwi Gumelar mentioned factors affecting the TB issues, namely lack of understanding of TB, both what it is and how to prevent it. “Our PKM-M is entitled MOLYA MANTU (Model Pemberdayaan Masyarakat Tanggap Tuberculosis) Menuju Masyarakat Sehat dari Bahasa Epidemi Tuberculosis di Wilayah Yogyakarta – MOLYA MANTU (A Mode of Community Empowerment to Respond to Tuberculosis) to Be Healthy Community Free from Hazards of a Tuberculosis Epidemic in Yogyakarta. It aims to empower community in Kadipiro to be responsive to tuberculosis,” informed Bettania.

To run the program, Bettania’s team collaborated with a youth organization through establishing TB cadres that they help the team to educate people dealing with TB. “We provide the cadres equipment of MOLYA MANTU whose language is easily understood such as leaflets, Bali sheets, Javanese styles, and educating videos, and posters. All the kit is packed on a bag which can easily be carried and is peach so that it is attractive to be seen or listened. The effort is expected to be a medium to ease the cadres to explain TB,” told Bettania.

“The program is conducted twice. First, it is for the youth organization. Second, it is for people in Kadipiro. We give them a pre-test to measure their knowledge of TB. Afterwards, we explain TB, provide a question and answer session and a sharing session, and introduce the kit of MOLYA MANTU. The program is closed by giving a post-test,” mentioned Bettania.

“The program may become a sustainable program because it is to raise people’s awareness of TB and there have been the cadres,” expected Bettania.