The National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN), together with Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Program (JHCCP) and USAID, held an Appreciation Day for Front Line Personnel in the Fight Against COVID-19 on Wednesday, 9 September 2020. Themed “Continuing Field Work”, the event was organized virtually and streamed simultaneously on the BKKBN’s official YouTube channel and the Facebook group of “Petugas Lapangan Lawan Covid-19” (Field Officers Against COVID-19).
Since the first case of COVID-19 in Indonesia, and as the number of cases continues to rise, BKKBN, in collaboration with JHCCP has engaged the Family Planning Extension/Field Officers to mobilize Rural Community Institutions (IMPs) and volunteers at community level and who are already linked with families and village organizations. Overall, they are tasked with three main roles, namely 1) to communicate uniformed messages on COVID-19 prevention, 2) to inspire behavioral change, and 3) to get the community to actively reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.
“We realize that this pandemic has disrupted the lives of so many Indonesian families. Some of them lose their jobs and some children are permanently out of school. Domestic violence cases are also increasing, nutrition quality undermined, and unwanted pregnancies occur. Confusion, anxiety, to frustration can be experienced by anyone in the family. Given BKKBN’s mandate as the family’s ‘best friend’, we want our program to reflect our empathy and understanding towards impacted families, while prioritizing the things that must and are appropriate to be done,” said BKKBN Head dr. Hasto Wardoyo, SpOG (K).
According to Fitri Putjuk, Country Representative of JHCCP Indonesia, “As a partner of BKKBN, we are aware of the powerful and strategic role of family planning field officers and volunteers in doing community outreach, especially since they are able to amplify various messages to the grass root. Together with BKKBN, we have initiated the establishment of an information and education center through a Facebook Group ‘Petugas Lapangan Lawan Covid-19’. We have also organized a series of Facebook Live sessions to strengthen the capacity of the field workers. We’ve covered topics such as basic information on Covid-19 prevention; the importance of nutrition for stronger immunity; protecting under-five children and the elderly from Covid-19; stigma prevention; neighborhood taskforce formation; and empowering household economy. The field officers can reiterate the messages from these sessions to families or village officials. This is an effective strategy that has so far enabled outreach to 400,000 people.”
Entering the sixth month of Covid-19 pandemic, BKKBN has been working hard to bring its innovative programs to the society and be a part of problem solution. BKKBN is also aware that field personnel need to be continuously encouraged and motivated to sustain their energy and optimism in their work against Covid-19, as this pandemic may last longer than desired. The Appreciation Day was held to that end; in conjunction with the event, BKKBN also launched several online and interactive courses as self-learning materials about Covid-19 prevention. Transitioning from the Facebook platform and building upon the activities that have been in place for the last six months, the launch sent a message that all family planning field officers are expected to continue educating themselves and the families they work with.
Acting Director of the Office of Health USAID Indonesia Pamela Foster said, “The United States Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has committed US$11 million (IDR 187 billion) to Indonesia, consisting of new aid and re-allocated existing aid that are now part of the humanitarian and global health relief in response to COVID-19. USAID is delighted to partner with the Government of Indonesia to build community and family resiliency in to reduce and prevent the risk of COVID-19 transmission and BKKBN is a key partner in this effort.” She added that, “BKKBN’s officers and volunteers are at the front line in the fight against COVID-19 and they all play an instrumental role. With continued learning as well as consistent and comprehensive public communication of COVID-19 risks, we can protect ourselves and others while we are paving our way out of this pandemic.”