Building Awareness from Home for a Better Future

The COVID-19 pandemic provided a very valuable lesson for us. Health is not merely a matter for hospitals or medical personnel, but a responsibility of every individual, family, and community. Similarly, when floods, earthquakes, or other disasters occur, the first responders are not the rescue officers, but the families present at the scene. From this, we understand that the family is the first bastion in maintaining health and facing various life threats.

Unfortunately, public awareness regarding routine health check-ups, the implementation of Clean and Healthy Living Behaviours (PHBS), and building disaster preparedness still needs to be continuously strengthened. Many people only seek medical examinations when illnesses have already caused serious complaints. Likewise, healthy living habits are often only adopted after an individual has experienced health disturbances.

In fact, the primary principle of public health is not treating disease, but preventing it before it occurs. Periodic health examinations are one of the simplest yet most effective steps to detect various diseases early, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, cholesterol disorders, and other non-communicable diseases that often develop without symptoms.

When diseases are detected early, the chances of successful treatment increase, healthcare costs can be suppressed, and the quality of life for the community improves. Conversely, delayed diagnosis often leads to more difficult and expensive medical interventions.

However, maintaining health requires more than just routine check-ups. Clean and Healthy Living Behaviours (PHBS) are the fundamental foundation for building a productive society. Habits such as washing hands with soap, consuming a balanced nutritious diet, exercising regularly, using clean water, maintaining environmental sanitation, avoiding smoking, and disposing of waste properly are simple actions that provide extraordinary health benefits.

Ironically, PHBS practices are often regarded as trivial. Many people understand the importance of healthy living but have not yet made it a daily habit. Yet, most communicable and non-communicable diseases can be prevented through consistent behavioural changes.

On the other hand, Indonesia also faces challenges as a disaster-prone nation. Earthquakes, floods, landslides, volcanic eruptions, and extreme weather are threats that occur almost every year in various regions. In such conditions, family preparedness is a decisive factor for safety.

Regrettably, a culture of disaster response has not yet grown uniformly. Many families do not yet have evacuation plans, do not know rescue routes, and have not even prepared the necessary emergency kits for when a disaster strikes suddenly.

In truth, preparedness does not require a large cost. Recognising risks in one’s residential environment, knowing emergency service numbers, preparing emergency bags containing important documents and basic needs, and conducting evacuation simulations with family members are simple steps that can save many lives.

From a public health perspective, health examinations, PHBS, and disaster preparedness are not three independent programmes. All three are interconnected in building family resilience. A healthy family will be better prepared to face disasters. Conversely, a family with good preparedness will be more capable of protecting the health of its members during emergencies.

Therefore, increasing public awareness must be carried out comprehensively. Health education should not only take place in healthcare facilities but should also be present in schools, places of worship, workplaces, and various other social spaces. Easily understood health information will help the public make the right decisions in maintaining their health.

The role of Posyandu cadres, health workers, community leaders, and community organisations is also vital as agents of change at the community level. They serve as a bridge between government programmes and the actual needs of the people. With a closer and more communicative approach, health messages are more easily accepted and implemented in daily life.

Local governments need to continue strengthening preventive health services through periodic health checks, the promotion of PHBS, and community-based disaster preparedness training. Meanwhile, universities have a responsibility to support these efforts through research, innovation, and community service that can address health challenges at the local level.

Advancements in technology also present great opportunities to improve health literacy. Social media, health applications, and digital platforms can be utilised as means of education that are fast, widespread, and easily accessible. However, the information provided must be evidence-based to avoid causing misunderstandings within the community.

Ultimately, building a healthy society does not begin in a hospital, but at home. Families accustomed to regular health check-ups, implementing PHBS, and possessing disaster preparedness will produce a more resilient, productive, and high-quality society.

Health is not an inheritance that can simply be passed on to the next generation. Health is built through good habits performed every day. Similarly, resilience in facing disasters is not born when the disaster arrives, but is prepared long in advance through knowledge, practice, and collective care.