The Student Health Unit (Ukesma) of Universitas Gadjah Mada once again demonstrated its commitment to improving community health awareness through the second Bina Desa Sehat (BDS) program, held in Gowok Hamlet, RW 06, RT 14 and RT 15, Caturtunggal Village, Sleman, on Sunday, August 9, 2026. Centered on the theme of vigilance against illnesses during the transitional season, the program combined health education with free basic health check-ups for local residents. The transitional season is marked by unpredictable changes in weather and temperature, making the body more susceptible to a range of illnesses including respiratory infections, dengue fever, and digestive disorders. It was this condition that prompted Ukesma UGM to make community understanding of transitional season health risks and prevention the central focus of this edition of the program.
The event opened with a basic health examination session covering blood pressure, body weight, height, and uric acid levels, which was warmly received by residents for the ease it offered in monitoring their own health directly on-site. Following the check-ups, residents received an interactive health education session delivered by Sidi Aritjahja, covering the most common illnesses during the transitional season and the steps that can be taken to prevent them. Topics included how to maintain immune health, meet fluid and rest requirements, practice clean living habits such as handwashing, and recognize early symptoms of illness for timely treatment. To assess participants’ understanding of the material, the committee also held a question-and-answer session with prizes, encouraging residents to engage actively throughout the event.
Nisa Maharani Wahyu Pratiwi, Chair of UGM’s Student Health Unit, expressed her hope that the Bina Desa Sehat program would deliver real and lasting benefits for the people of Gowok Hamlet. She hoped that the program would not merely serve as a one-time education session, but would grow into a sustained health empowerment platform that continues to live and thrive within the community. She also expressed hope that residents of RT 14 and RT 15 would come away with a stronger understanding of the importance of maintaining health — particularly during seasonal transitions — and would feel motivated to take greater care of their own and their family’s health through regular monitoring and the adoption of healthy living habits in daily life.
Enthusiastic and positive responses also came from the residents of Gowok Hamlet. Ibu Sunarti, one of the attending residents, noted that the health check-up program was very well suited to the needs of the local community, particularly given the large number of elderly residents who require regular health monitoring. She also shared that the topic of the health education session was highly relevant to the current weather conditions, which have been unusually hot and unpredictable. Ibu Sunarti expressed appreciation for the services provided and expressed hope that similar programs would be held on a regular basis in Gowok Hamlet, so that more residents could benefit continuously. Through Bina Desa Sehat, Ukesma UGM affirms its role as a community health partner that is not only active within the campus environment, but also present and impactful in the lives of the surrounding community.