LEBAK, BANTEN (14/12/2018) – As a follow-up to the direction of the Chancellor of UPN Veterans Jakarta, Dr. Erna Hernawati, Ak, CPMA, CA, in the context of planning to organize a State Defense Real Work Lecture (KKN) together with the Ministry of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions, the UPNVJ Research and Community Service Institute (LPPM) conducted a field study to Lebak, Banten on 13-14 December 2018 to obtain initial data and information related to conditions at the location and to explore communication with the local regional government.
The UPNVJ LPPM team was directly led by the Chairperson of the UPNVJ LPPM, Dr. Retno Dyah Kusumastuti, M.Si, who was accompanied by Budhi Martana, ST., MM, Secretary of LPPM UPNVJ and H. Heru Suyanto, SH., MH., CLA Head of IPR Center for LPPM UPNVJ, M. Ikhsan Amar (FIKES), Andi Kurniawan (FISIP), Siti Irawati (LPPM), Reza Virgantara (LPPM).
In a meeting with the Head of the Regional Planning and Development Agency (BAPPEDA) of Lebak Regency, Ir. Hj. Virgojanti, M.Sc, Head of LPPM UPNVJ conveyed the UPNVJ KKN activity plan which will take place in Lebak as one of the areas that is still categorized as a disadvantaged area. There are a number of activities that will be the focus of implementing the UPNVJ State Defense KKN including the fields of health, innovation and technology, economic empowerment and improving the quality of administration of village government services. In this regard, the Head of LPPM UPNVJ explained several excellent study programs at UPNVJ, both from the health, social and technological sciences. "We want to be here to support the acceleration of development in Lebak Regency with our study program," said Dr. Retno.
The Head of BAPPEDA Lebak Banten positively welcomed the planned activities to be carried out by UPNVJ. Even Ir. Hj. Virgojanti, M.Si expressed her hope that UPNVJ could take advantage of the hospitals and health centers in Lebak, as facilities for education. "We are very short of health workers," said the Head of BAPPEDA Lebak. Based on the data presented, not all Community Health Centers have adequate doctors and health workers, even in Hospitals there is still a great need for specialist doctors.
After the meeting with BAPPEDA Lebak, the UPNVJ Team immediately moved to a village location that was still categorized as a very underdeveloped village in this area, namely Sangiang Tanjung Village. As one of the villages visited by President Joko Widodo in 2016, Sangiang Tanjung Village is included in the category of very underdeveloped villages with the geographical and economic conditions of its people which are quite apprehensive.
In the health aspect, for example, there are still many people who do not understand Clean and Healthy Behavior (PHBS), environmental sanitation that is not well organized and the biggest problem is that in general, many people in a household still do not have private toilets.
The UPNVJ LPPM team was received by Jaro (as the Village Head in Banten) Sangiang Tanjung, Mulyana at the Sangiang Tanjung village office and discussed to explore some of the data and information needed. It is planned that, as a follow-up to the results of this study, LPPM will hold a focus group discussion to sharpen the theme and strategy for implementing the UPNVJ State Defense KKN which is planned to be held in July - August 2019.
(By : Andi Kurniawan)