Millennium development goals (MDGs) idea was firstly put forward during the Millennium Summit Conference of the United Nations Organization (UNO) in September 2000 in New York, USA., which was attended by 189 head of states and governments, and accepted by 147 among them. The main focus of MDGs is the development of the people by laying out the principles of consensus and global partnership. It was expected that the richer countries would support the poorer and underdeveloped ones in implementing their tasks to developing their people.
The eight goals of MDGs that would like to be achieved in 2015 are:
Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Goal 2: Achieve universal primary education
Goal 3: Promote gender equality and empower women
Goal 4: Reduce child mortality
Goal 5: Improve maternal health
Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for development.
MDGs campaign
MDGs campaign activities were initiated by United Nation for MDGs Campaign (UNMC, a UNO committee). Perdhaki was also invited to proclaim the goals of MDGs to its member units and the people. The campaign activities were conducted exactly in the context of the International Poverty Day on October 17 2008. The goal of “stand up and take action” (SUTA) campaign implementation was strengthening people’s initiatives to ensure the fulfillment of the commitment to achieve the MDGs hand in hand with the Civil Society Network for MDGs Movement and Global Call for Action against Poverty. Also to remind the government of their promise to truly mobilizing their whole efforts and resources to eradicate poverty through concrete action by the society at large.
How and when
SUTA campaign took place all at once during 3×24 hours on the dates October 17-19, 2008 worldwide under the theme STAND UP AND TAKE ACTION :
October 17, 2008 STAND UP AND TAKE ACTION by 1.000.000 mankind
October 18, 2008 STAND UP AND TAKE ACTION by 1.000.000 students
October 19, 2008 STAND UP AND TAKE ACTION by 1.000.000 communities
SUTA campaign by Perdhaki
The invitation to proclaim the achievement of the millennium’s goals through the international poverty day was disseminated by Perdhaki to its member units through Regional Perdhaki which had the similar vision to serve the poor from the health aspect. Through this campaign, besides declaring that the private health sector has a certain role in increasing people’s health, it was also an opportunityto show to the government and the world that the Catholic organizations were and always continuously committed to achieve the millennium development, even before MDGs were promulgated.
The information about MDGs campaign was conveyed to Perdhaki in short notice. The form of the campaign was only to show the work of the health units that we serve. The result of the service during the dates October 17-19, 2008 would be compiled regarding the number of people who attended or were involved in our health units. The number of people registered would be reported as the representing a voice to proclaim the achievement in some small way of the development hoped for by MDGs.
The strategy of SUTA campaign activities was to show services, such as:
Health services which took place inside the units, which were routine activities such as out-patient care, antenatal care, children under five care check up, etc.
Outreach health service in the community, such as integrated health stations (posyandu), health education, eye care and cataract screening, hare lips operation, (outreach medical care is usually on a low-priced or sometimes even free service;
Health service in a specific location, such as a schoolor seminary;
Eucharistic celebration for the staff;
A public Eucharistic celebration to commemorate food and poverty day;
competition of choirsin the church.
The result of the activities
Although the invitation to become involed in these activites came at such short notice, the response and implementation by our health units was good and enthusiastic enough. . The services planned were conducted to be integrated according to the messages of MDGs and to proclaim care for the underprivileged. The total result was that 19.818 persons participated from catholic health units members of Perdhaki, Roman Catholic churches, Orphanages and schools. The result of people involved/ registered for SUTA campaign by Perdhaki are as follows:
1. Jakarta
The program was implemented in the form of health services, health education, community service, donating food provisions, and Eucharistic celebration. The activities were such as:
a. Eucharistic celebration of Food and Poverty Day at October 17, 2008 in the Chapel of St. Carolus Hospital. food provisions were donated by the participation people .
b. Health services both at the unit buildings and outreach to the community, as done by St. Carolus Hospital, Paseban Health Center (HC), Cijantung HC, Tanjung Priok HC, Cengkareng HC
c. Health services in the Kalvari Parish in Pondok Gede, outreach medical care in St. Aloysius Gonzaga Parish, Cijantung, and Holy Family Parish, Pasar Minggu
d. Eucharistic celebration of Food and Poverty Day in parishes, such as in Kalvari – Pondok Gede, St. Maria – Tangerang, Our Lady of Karmel – Kebon Jeruk. Onthese occasions the parishioners brought food provisions that would then be distributed to the needy.
e. Community service for environment hygiene was done by the orphans of St. Vincentius Orphanage.
2. Java (excluding Jakarta)
These were the result of SUTA activities reported by Bhaktiningsih Hospital, Klepu (Central Java) and Misi Lebak Hospital in Rangkas Bitung (Banten):
a.Misi Lebak Hospital : General medical care (472 persons)
b.Bhaktiningsih Hospital, Klepu : General medical care (85 persons) and outreach medical care (161 persons)
c. Mardi Lestari Hospital, Sragen: Medical care (77 persons)
d.Panti Rini Hospital: General health check up, dental and ear-nose-throat check up for 124 students of Kanisius Elementary School in Kringinan, Yogyakarta and gym activities for diabetic patient (54 persons)
3. Sumatera
a. Bangka Belitung
– Health services in:
1. Bhakti Wara Hospital, Pangkalpinang (415 persons)
2. Bhakti Wara II Maternity and General Clinic, Belinyu (18 persons)
3. Bhakti wara IV Maternity and General Clinic, Koba (41 persons)
– Eucharistic celebration by the parishioners in St. Fransiskus Parish, Koba and Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Parish, Belinyu
– Choirs competition in St. Fransiskus Parish Church, Koba
– Integrated health post (13 persons)
– Reproductive Health Education in St. Joseph High School, Pangkalpinang.
b. St. Antonio Hospital, Baturaja
– General health service (164 persons) and Caring the environmental hygiene (60 persons).
4. Ketapang, Borneo
– Health services in Fatima Hospital, and hare lips operation, outreach screening for eye cataract in Pesaguan and Tanjung, free outreach medical care in Sandai and Randau;
– Eucharistic celebration in the Cathedral of Ketapang with homily about poverty and the outcome of global crisis.
5. Southeast Moluccas
The role of health movement in SUTA campaign was also proclaimed in Langgur of Southeast Moluccas Archipelago under the direction of Sacred Heart Hospital of Langgur as the motivator. The types of activities were:
a. Health service by Sacred Heart Hospital of Langgur (96 persons)
b. Seminar on drug addiction in St. Judas Tadeus Seminary (130 persons)
c. Health Education on diarrhea and lung tuberculosis in Sacred Heart Hospital of Langgur (93 persons)
6. Merauke, Papua
The form of activities in Our Lady of Hope Hospital of Merauke were general medical care, morning reflection and immunization for 343 persons. (As)
