24 September 2024

Thresia Maria Wonga: Developing Digital Guideline for Health Workers to Fight Global Health Threat

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has been declared by the World Health Organization as one of the top 10 global public health threats facing humanity. Thresia Maria Wonga, a pharmacist and civil servant at RSUD Prof. Dr. W.Z. Johannes Kupang in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), has been actively engaging in raising public and health worker awareness on the threat of AMR.

“The government could potentially collapse if AMR is not immediately addressed, because by then it will be very difficult or even impossible to treat infectious diseases caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria,” said the alumna of Masters of Health Economics and Policy from the University of Adelaide.

Knowing the current state of NTT is still struggling against stunting, maternal and infant mortality, Thresia or familiarly known as Ria, is gravely concerned that NTT might be facing the worst-case scenario if AMR is not properly addressed.

 

Digital Guideline for Health Workers

 

Ria’s commitment and seriousness in spreading awareness of AMR was shown during the National Working Meeting of the Indonesian Pharmacists Association held in Labuan Bajo in June 2022.

She makes use of her position as the Chief Committee of the National Working Meeting to choose AMR as the main theme of the meeting which is titled 'Making Waves: Interprofessional Collaboration Towards Holistic Approach on Antimicrobial Resistance in Indonesia.'

Months before the meeting, Ria was also granted the Alumni Grant Scheme (AGS) to develop an application to promote antimicrobial stewardship programs across healthcare facilities in NTT called Antimicrobial Stewardship Mobile Application in Reducing AMR (ASMARA) which just recently launched in November 2023.

“ASMARA helps pharmacists, nurses, and medical doctors to easily access all information on AMR through their smartphone for free,” she explained.

“ASMARA provides information on appropriate treatment using antibiotics, guidelines on prescribing and administering antimicrobials, and even information about rabies,” Ria said to date, ASMARA has more than 200 users affiliated with 20 health facilities across NTT.

Prior to introducing ASMARA, Ria with RSUD Prof. Dr. W.Z. Johannes Kupang has organized a workshop themed ‘Shining from the East: Superhumans Collaborate Against Superbacteria’ as part of her AGS project.

The workshop was held during World Antimicrobial Awareness Week in November 2022 which was attended by 198 participants ranging from nurses, pharmacists to laboratory technicians.

Aimed to raise AMR awareness among health workers, the workshop presented speakers from Clinpath Pathology-Western Australia, Royal Adelaide Hospital Australia, Prince of Wales Hospital Sydney, Flinders Overseas Health Group, Indonesia Ministry of Health and World Health Organization.

Two years of studying Health Economics and Health Policy in Australia has made Ria fully aware of how AMR also could financially damage the affected patient because of prolonged illness, extended hospital stays and more expensive treatment costs.

Ria optimist ASMARA could avoid the spread of AMR while at the same time cut wasteful spending on the unnecessary use of antibiotics in health facilities.

“Studying at the University of Adelaide has inspired me to combine my passion for AMR issues and Health Economics science,” said the mother of two who now works at the public relations division of RSUD Prof. Dr. W.Z. Johannes Kupang.

“My study has given me a new perspective to approach AMR from an economic point of view,” Ria further added.

 

Voluntary Community Against AMR

 

Living in Australia also has influenced Ria’s way of life, one of which is the passion to voluntarily help others.

Ria has been in awe of the philanthropic culture shown by the Australian, either in social media or in real life.

Seeing the existence of communities established to voluntarily help patients with rare medical conditions in Australia has moved Ria to do the same.

“Upon finishing my study in Australia, I wonder should I do the same, creating community to educate people around me thus I decided to create the Mangarti Anti Mikroba (MAKROBA) community with purpose of raising public awareness on AMR.”

Made of 10 health workers, MAKROBA has collaborated with hospitals, local government to mass media in order to spread awareness on AMR, how it could affect future generations.

Currently, Ria is still in the process of asking the NTT provincial government to help in promoting the use of ASMARA to all health facilities in NTT. Ria wishes in the near future ASMARA could be used nationwide in Indonesia.

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