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Sicanang New Face: Improving health of the urban slum dwellers

04 Dec 2019

Sicanang New Face: Improving health of the urban slum dwellers

Project leader: Mrs. Tuti Barita Mida Uli

Level of education and university: Master, University of Wollongong

Collaborating Organisations: Yayasan Peduli Karakter Bangsa & Koperasi Wanita Pusaka Pertiwi

Project Location: Medan, Sumatera Utara

Activity Type: Public awareness campaign

Sector: Health management, health services, public health, maternal and child health

Project Rationale:

Key fact: People living in slums often are neglected populations. Poverty and lack of public facilities in slums lead to poor health and increase in morbidity as infectious diseases spread rapidly in such area.

Sicanang is one of the 6 poor and slums urban villages of Belawan Sub district. Sicanang Belawan Urban Village belongs to the area of Medan municipality located 26 km with the mileage of one hour from the downtown. It is better known as localization of leprosy patient, thuggery and poverty. It has an area of 1,510 hectares with 750 hectares of dry land and 600 ha of spacious pond, swamp/tide, 150 ha of woods and 10 ha of tourism forest. Sicanang Urban Village region has a height of 0.5 to 2 m above sea level and typology of coastal areas. Almost all year round, the tide will flood the yard and partially enter the community houses. With this condition, the community becomes vulnerable to potentially infected with the disease associated with hygiene, inadequate sanitation and unhealthy behaviours.

Total population is 16,752 people of which 41% are men and 59% are women, while the total head of families is around 3,993 households spreading over 20 neighbourhoods.

Project Beneficiaries:

  • 100 beneficiaries for health care service and supplementary nutritional food support (men, women and children) 
  • 50 pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers for midwife services

Priority Development Area:

Human development for a productive and healthy society

Link with Australian organisation:

University of Wollongong

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