Charles Rambung: Leveraging Diverse Data Tools to Map Stunting in NTT

In 2023, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) was the province with the second-highest stunting prevalence in Indonesia, recorded at 37.9 per cent. Charles Conrad Rambung, a health researcher in the Research and Development Division of the Regional Research and Development Planning Agency (Bappelitbangda/Bapperida), is one of the civil servants in the NTT Provincial Government who has been actively involved in tackling stunting.

Interested in data processing, in 2023 he applied for the Australia Awards Short Course on Governing in the Digital Age (The Use of Data for Better Policies and Public Services), at Griffith University. One of the most memorable experiences for Charles was visiting the Gold Coast University Hospital that had established a Command Centre to organise and monitor various types of data, ranging from the availability of medical equipment to patient and visitor information. 

“Thanks to the Short Course, I now have a clearer understanding of what an ideal implementation of Indonesia’s Satu Data policy should look like.” he said. 

Tackling High Stunting Rates in NTT

As part of his Award Project, Charles aimed to developed a dashboard to integrate popverty and stunting data to improve the accuracy of government programs and serve as a dynamic data source for the NTT Provincial Government.  He initially planned to refine his Award Project through an Australian Alumni Grants. However, he postponed this plan and integrated the work into PAPADANKE (Padu Padan Data Kemiskinan Ekstrem), a new program with a similar concept to his Award Project but a larger scope of data sources.

“I discussed my Award Project idea with my colleagues and supervisor at Bapperida NTT. I believe my ideas contributed, to some extent, to the refinement of PAPADANKE,” Charles said. 

In his daily work, Charles has also benefited from the professional connections he built with fellow Short Course participants. One example was in mid-2023 when his team worked on developing the Regional Action Plan for Persons with Disabilities (RAD PD 2024-2026) for the NTT Provincial Government. 

“I’ve had several discussions with my Short Course colleagues, including those at the Ministry of National Development Planning, to seek information on disability-related issues,” Charles explained. 

Raising Colleagues’ and Community Awareness of Artificial Intelligence

One of the most beneficial aspects of the Short Course was being introduced to Artificial Intelligence (AI) and ChatGPT.  Studying AI and ChatGPT during the Short Course inspired Charles to advocate for AI and ChatGPT training at his workplace to support daily tasks. His proposal was eventually approved by Bapperida NTT, leading to a technical training session for 20 Bapperida NTT staff in March 2024.

“ChatGPT was entirely new to me at the time, as it wasn’t yet widely known to the public. I realised there were countless ways it could be utilised,” Charles explained. 

Beyond his role as a civil servant, Charles has also used his position as a lay leader in his local Catholic community to educate vulnerable groups about the risks of AI. 

“There are many elderly residents in my area who rely on the internet to search for medicine. I educate them on how AI has been used to manipulate videos, such as the case where a video of former Indonesian Minister of Health was altered to make it seem like he was endorsing a suspicious diabetes medication,” Charles explained. 

Becoming more familiar with AI and gaining a deeper understanding of its potential has also boosted Charles' confidence in engaging in discussions related to AI. One such discussion involved Satu Data in the preparation of NTT’s Long-Term Regional Development Plan (RPJPD) for 2025–2045. In developing this strategic document, Charles was responsible for compiling innovation index data (IID/IGA) and regional competitiveness data (IDSD). 

“I think the most valuable part of the Short Course was that I could share the knowledge and experiences I gained with my colleagues and the people around me,” said Charles, who previously completed a Master of International Public Health-Master of Health Management at the University of New South Wales in 2013.