The doctorSHARE team conducted medical services on Mayau Island, Batang Dua District, Ternate City, North Maluku starting on Saturday (15/7). The team traveled from Ternate to Mayau Island with RSA Dr. Lie Dharmawan for 16 hours. This medical service deployed 14 medical volunteers, three non-medical volunteers, and five crew members. The activity entitled ‘Building a Healthy Peripheral Indonesia’ is in collaboration with the Ternate City Health Office, North Maluku Police, and Batang Dua Sub-district Health Center.

The service took place from 16 to 19 July in the form of general treatment (250 patients), health counseling on clean living behavior to general treatment patients, minor surgery (48 patients), and major surgery (8 patients). Most of the patients live in Mayau Island and Tifure Island, which has 6 villages (Bido, Lelewi, Mayau, Perum Bersatu, Tifure, and Pantai Sagu). The region has only one main health center and three auxiliary health centers.

According to the estimation data of Batang Dua Island Sub-district, Ternate City has 2875 residents. Currently, there is only one non-permanent employee (PTT) doctor who serves the community in six villages divided into two islands. So that doctors and medical teams must divide tasks to serve people who are separated by distance between islands.

“The transportation and referral system is sometimes an obstacle, and very burdensome for patients,” said Dr. Richard, who has been a PTT doctor at the Batang Dua Sub-district Main Health Center for two years.

The Head of Batang Dua Sub-district Health Center, Yulianus Belian Ali, said that the main health center was inaugurated in 2008, which previously functioned as the Sulamadaha Sub-district Health Center. Transportation access is a serious obstacle. Especially for patients who have to be referred (cannot be treated at this puskesmas) to Ternate with transportation from Pelni which is only available once every two weeks. “The option is to rent a boat for 5 to 10 million for a return trip,” he said.

Overall, the medical service activities on Mayau Island, Batang Dua Sub-district, Ternate City, North Maluku went smoothly thanks to good cooperation from the organizers. The community also looked forward to the team’s return. Evidenced by the large number of residents who escorted the doctorSHARE team with a wave when leaving Mayau Island.

“Mayau Island is an ideal place to conduct doctorSHARE medical services, considering the minimal transportation facilities that affect access to public health,” said dr. Cynthia as the Field Coordinator of doctorSHARE Medical Services on Mayau Island.